Affiliations: Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD,
Australia | Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, WA,
Australia | Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic,
Australia | University of Western Australia, Perth, WA,
Australia | The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic,
Australia
Note: [] Corresponding author: Meredith Wynter, Queensland Cerebral Palsy
Health Service, Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation, Royal Children's
Hospital, Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia. Tel.: +61 7 36365500;
Fax: +61 7 36365480; E-mail: meredith_wynter@health.qld.gov.au
Abstract: Progressive hip displacement is the second most common deformity in
children with cerebral palsy (CP) [1]. For many decades, the methods of
monitoring hip health and development in children with CP varied widely between
facilities. Recently, systematic population based studies have identified some
of the factors and characteristics of children with CP who would most benefit
from hip surveillance [2,3]. Health services providing hip surveillance within
Australia identified a need for clinical guidelines to assist in provision of
comprehensive and best practice health care for children with CP across all
patient demographics. Guidelines providing clear, evidence based information on
specific timing for commencement, frequency, and discharge have not previously
been published. This article analyses the supportive evidence for comprehensive
hip surveillance, discusses the development of draft guidelines in Australia,
and describes the process for achieving national consensus resulting in the
Consensus Statement on Hip Surveillance for Children with Cerebral Palsy:
Australian Standards of Care. These standards of care are being followed in
clinical facilities across Australia and are endorsed by the Australasian
Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AusACPDM).
Keywords: Hip Surveillance, Cerebral Palsy, children, guidelines, hip dislocation, hip displacement
