A Systematic Review of Interventions for Children With Cerebral Palsy in Low- to Middle-Income Countries

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a common disorder in children that affects muscle movement and coordination. It is caused by abnormal brain development, oftentimes due to the lack of oxygen and nutrients delivering to the brain while a child is in the womb or during the birthing process. The prevalence of severe cases of CP is extremely high in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC’s) which is due to worse neonatal outcomes as well as limited rehabilitation resources available in these settings. A systematic review is being conducted to explore and summarize the existing interventions for children with CP in LMIC’s, so this knowledge can be used for future research and clinical policies. Eight databases were used to extract 9,821 articles for this review. These articles were then thoroughly analyzed by abstract screening and underwent an exclusion process based on specific selection criteria. Screenings were done individually, and any discrepancies were discussed by the team before retrieving full text articles. We are currently working on reviewing these selected articles to continue the refining process. I will be analyzing and summarizing the articles containing interventions for children with CP in LMIC’s to write a systematic review on this topic by April of 2022.