Risk factors for cerebral palsy in children in Taiwan

Aim: To determine the significant risk factors of cerebral palsy (CP) in Taiwanese children and the associations between infant-related and parent-related factors. Method: Data from 1 459 093 infants and their parents in Taiwan's national databases collected between 2009 and 2016 were used. The cohort with CP included children diagnosed with CP between birth and age 3 years; a total of 3254 children with CP were included in the final analysis. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio for the risk factors of CP. Results: The hierarchical logistic regression models indicated that significant risk factors associated with CP are suburban location, low income, maternal and paternal diabetes mellitus, paternal substance abuse, paternal seizure disorder, male sex, birth by Cesarean section, singleton birth, low birthweight, being born extremely and very preterm, intraventricular hemorrhage, and periventricular leukomalacia, as well as tube feeding, ventilator use, and dopamine administration within 6 months of age. Interpretation: In addition to common maternal and infant risk factors, we identified significant paternal risk factors associated with CP, including diabetes mellitus, seizure disorder, and substance abuse. The combination of maternal, paternal, and infant risk factors in CP holds great promise for early identification and intervention.