Health- and oral health-related quality of life among preschool children with cerebral palsy

To assess the health- and oral health-related quality of life of preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to determine their inter-relationship between the two quality of life measures. A total of 144 preschool children with and without CP were invited to participate in the case-control study. Health-related quality of life was assessed by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL((TM)) 4.0) and oral health-related quality of life by the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). Differences in PedsQL((TM)) 4.0 and ECOHIS scores were determined between the groups, and correlation between PedsQL and ECOHIS were explored. Significant differences in overall scores of PedsQL((TM)) 4.0 (P < 0.001) and in overall scores of ECOHIS (P < 0.05) were apparent between the two groups. In terms of health- and oral health-related quality of life, preschool children with CP fared worse than the age-gender-matched control group. There was a positive albeit weak correlation (r = 0.203, P < 0.05) between PedsQL((TM)) 4.0 and ECOHIS scores. Differences in health- and oral health-related quality of life exist among preschool children with CP. Correlation between health- and oral health-related quality of life could at best be described as weak.