What are the current guidelines for the multidisciplinary management of cerebral palsy in primary care?

In primary care, the key responsibilities for managing cerebral palsy include: coordinating care where necessary, identifying associated problems early, and providing support to the child and/or their parents/carers ¹.

Primary care providers should refer children with suspected or diagnosed cerebral palsy to a multidisciplinary team for urgent assessment, which may include paediatric medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, dietetics, psychology, and other specialist services as needed ¹.

They should regularly review and monitor issues such as eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties, speech and communication concerns, nutritional status, drooling, and associated comorbidities, referring to specialists when appropriate ¹.

GPs should also support families by providing information about local services, resources, and support groups, and coordinate regular reviews tailored to the child's needs, especially for those with complex needs or higher levels of impairment ¹.

In addition, primary care should facilitate access to specialist services for comorbidities, ensure effective communication within the multidisciplinary team, and support transition planning from childhood to adult services ¹,².