The correlation between sensory problems and gait function and types in children with cerebral palsy

Although the primary problem in children with Cerebral Palsy is motor disorders, problems in many areas such as social, behavioral, and sensory are frequently encountered. The quality of motor outputs in the neurological system is closely related to the quality of sensory inputs. In children with cerebral palsy, the internal organization of the brain is negatively affected due to the lesion causing the disease. This situation directly affects walking, which is one of the primary motor functions frequently used in daily life. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between sensory problems and walking function and types in children with CP. In total, 30 children with CP between the ages of 3 and 10 were included in this study. The sensory status of the population was evaluated with the Sensory Profile Scale, the walking function with the D and E subsections of the Gross Motor Function Scale, and the walking sub-parameters with the Edinburgh Visual Gait Scoring. Spearman correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. At the end of the study, there is a correlation between the auditory processing problems of the patients and their pelvic rotation in midstance (OR = 3.44, p <0.05), between vestibular processing problems and the knee progression angle in walking (OR= 4.8, p <0.05) and the Modulation of movement affecting activity level. It was determined that there was a relationship between hip extension (r = 2.94, p <0.05). With this study, it is thought that children with CP exhibit atypical performance in various sensory sub-areas and that their problems are related to walking, and especially the evaluation of the relationship between extensor and rotational components of walking and sensory problems with three-dimensional gait analysis will make a significant contribution to the literature.