Access to physiotherapy
Access to early physiotherapy was dependent on referral source (p< 0.000) and number of risk factors (p< 0.000) (Table 2). There was no significant difference in age at first visit regarding motor severity or type of CP. Infants referred from the neonatologist had significantly earlier access to physiotherapy than infants referred from the neuropediatrician (p= 0.021) and the CHS (p <0.000) (Table 1/Fig. 1). On average, infants referred from the neonatologist were 6 weeks old at first visit to physiotherapy (Table 1), while the corresponding age for infants referred from the neuropediatrician and the CHS was approximately 6 and 11 months, respectively.
Infants with ≥3 known risk factors for CP had significantly earlier access to physiotherapy than children with no known risk factors (p <0.000) or those with one or two (p =0.011) (Table 2/Fig. 1). On average, infants with ≥3 known risk factors were less than 6 weeks of age at first visit to physiotherapy (Table 1), while the corresponding age for infants with no known risk factors and those with one or two was approximately 11 and 5 months, respectively.
The severity of motor impairment (p =0.001) and the number of known risk factors (p =0.014) influenced age at referral to the habilitation services (Table 2/Fig. 1). Children at GMFCS Level IV and V were referred at a significantly younger age than children at GMFCS Level I (p =0.004 and p =0.015, respectively), and children with ≥3 known risk factors were referred significantly earlier than children with no known risk factors (p =0.037). Referral source and type of CP did not influence age at referral to the habilitation services.