Irma J. Wilhelm

Anthropometric Characteristics of Young Children with Cerebral Palsy

&NA; Physical variables are seldom recorded by physical therapists who treat children with cerebral palsy (CP). Yet growth measures are early predictors of poor developmental outcome and are often severely abnormal in children with CP. The purpose of this study is to document differences in head and limb circumferences, weight, length, and weight for length between two groups of children under 25 months of age: 21 children without diagnosed cerebral palsy and 36 children with CP. Significant differences between groups were found on all assessed variables. Because exercise may affect physical growth and development, we recommend that physical therapists include growth measures in their routine assessments of children with CP.