A Retrospective Analysis of Disability-Related Data on Disabled Children and their Families in Turkey

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate and analysis the data and records of disabled children and their families.

Materials and Methods: Records and data of 116 patients with different neurological conditions seen at the Physiotherapy Department at a special education centre between August 2004 and August 2008 were investigated. Obtained data and records included: age, gender, mode of delivery, diseases distribution , types of cerebral palsy and related factors, education level and job status of the parents, intermarriage, therapy interest rate.

Results: The most prevelant mode of delivery was as a vaginal delivery in 68 (59%) cases while a caesarean section seen in 47 (41%) cases in addition to one adoption case with unknown delivery type. 29 (25%) of this deliveries were as a premature while 2 (2%) deliveries were as late deliveries. Cerebral palsy was the most prevalent (61%) cause of physiotherapy attendance. The spastic type also represented the most type of cerebral palsies with prevelant of 57%. The most prevelant parents educational level included the primary school (mothers-fathers, 56%-47%). There was also intermarriage betweeen 33 pairs with cousin relation in 28 pairs and 5 pairs with distant relation. Most of the mothers were housewifes (%97) and attendance to therapy realized by 91% of the mothers.

Conclusion: Many factors are related to physiotherapy attendance of the paediatric neurological conditions. Parents low educational level, intermarriage, high percentage of house- wifes, free- worker position of fathers and high percentage of mothers who attend to children care may reflect socioeconomic level of this population.