Cerebral palsy and autism continued

"Our findings support the need for a multidisciplinary approach to management of children with CP [cerebral palsy] to adequately identify and address all facets of presentation, including ASD [autism spectrum disorder]."

So said the results of the study published by Malika Delobel-Ayoub and colleagues [1] who looked at the "prevalence of co-occurring autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) among children with cerebral palsy (CP)" among other things. Continuing a research theme (see here), researchers reported that around 9% of their 1200+ cohort of children diagnosed with CP had an "associated diagnosis of ASD". Said participant data coming from various European registries including one here in the bracing North-East of England.

What's more to say other than yet again, preferential screening for autism might be indicated? One might also advance the idea that clues about the origins of at least some autism may be forthcoming when the label is comorbid to CP. The particular finding that 'co-occurring epilepsy' might be something important for example, is as good a research starting point as any given what other independent datasets have similarly observed [2] combined with the ever-growing [bidirectional] links being discussed between epilepsy and autism / autistic traits (see here).

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[1] Delobel-Ayoub M. et al. Prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorders in children with cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2017 Apr 25.

[2] Christensen D. et al. Prevalence of cerebral palsy, co-occurring autism spectrum disorders, and motor functioning - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, USA, 2008. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2014 Jan;56(1):59-65.

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Delobel-Ayoub M, Klapouszczak D, van Bakel MME, Horridge K, Sigurdardottir S, Himmelmann K, & Arnaud C (2017). Prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorders in children with cerebral palsy. Developmental medicine and child neurology PMID: 28439889