Classification of Cerebral Palsy according to clinical presenta¬tion and functionality: a narrative review

Abstract

Introduction: The presenting signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy (CP) are diverse and consist mainly of motor disorders, sensory deficits, and associated comorbidities, which occur due to a non-progressive injury to the developing brain. Assessing a child’s functioning using functional scales pro­vides information on the severity of the disorders they present. The obj ective is to describe the classification of CP, according to the clinical features, type of movement disorder, and functionality, in order to achieve a common language among clinicians, facilitate research, and, above all, achieve a better functional understanding of patients to support decision-making. Materials or Patients and Methods: The PRISMA ScR methodology was used, and an advanced search was performed in PubMed. Articles published between January 2014 and December 2024, in English and Spanish, and conducted in the pediatric population were included. Results: A total of 11,173 articles were found. Of these, systematic reviews, reviews, clinical guidelines, practical guidelines, and meta-analyses were considered, excluding other types of publications, giving a total of 1,461 studies. A review was performed by title and abstract, eliminating duplicates and excluding those that did not fit the conceptual fra­mework of the study. After this, 32 articles were extensively reviewed by three independent reviewers. Conclusion: The development of the six instruments analyzed allows clinicians to have a common language to better describe and communicate the enormously heterogeneous functional skills, highlighting that assessing movement quality remains a challenge.