The Prevalence of Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction in Children with Cerebral Palsy and its Association with Motor, Cognitive, and Autonomic Function

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe the prevalence of bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) in 8–10-year-old children with cerebral palsy and its association with motor, cognitive, and autonomic dysfunction.

Methods

A cross-sectional, random sample study of parents of 8–10-year-old children with cerebral palsy. Tools: The Enuresis/Urinary Incontinence Parental Questionnaire, the Functional Independence Measure children’s version, the autonomic signs questionnaire, and the Gross Motor Function Classification System.

Results

39 out of 59 parents consented to participate, whereas 25.64% reported complete continence. Of the 29 children with BBD, 21 (72.4%) had lower urinary tract symptoms and bowel problems. Only two of the children received conservative and noninvasive treatments. Lastly, motor, cognitive and autonomic impairments were associated with incontinence.

Conclusions

BBD is common in 8–10-year-old children with cerebral palsy at all levels of functioning. Most having both lower urinary tract symptoms and bowel problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Bladder dysfunction
• bowel dysfunction
• cerebral palsy
• prevalence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.