The study expects to work with 30 hospitals over Spain to reach 95% of people with the disorder.
The Ramon Molinas Foundation is sponsoring a research programme launched by the María Agustí Foundation and Hemiweb, and carried out by Sant Joan de Déu Hospital and Barcelona Children’s Hospital, with the aim of estimating – for the first time – the prevalence of child hemiparesis in Spain. The sponsored project, which counts on the support of social economy enterprises specialising in mobility TUSGSAL and TUS, will look at the impact of child hemiparesis over Spain.
Until now, there have been no reliable figures on the proportion of the population that have child hemiparesis, a mild form of cerebral palsy which makes movement difficult in half of the body. The few statistics from other countries indicate that it could affect one in every 1000 babies. The lack of statistical figures and knowledge about child hemiparesis makes an analysis of the causes and therapeutic possibilities difficult. Researchers believe that an extensive study of the material could improve treatment and quality of life for children who suffer from the disorder. Diagnosis and early treatment in the acute phase allows for rapid action in the form of personalised rehabilitation treatment.
The research will be carried out in three successive phases. Firstly, data from the medical records of children and adolescents between 0 and 16 years old with congenital childhood hemiparesis from the Paediatric Neurological Services in both public and private General and Paediatric Hospitals in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona will be collected and analysed. After completing the first stage, the study will be replicated in the geographical area of Catalonia, and in the third phase, it is expected to reach 30 hospitals over Spain to reach 95% of people with child hemiparesis.
More information in Training and research.
Links of interest:
María Agustí Foundation website.