Assessing Bone Health in Children

Third, neurological problems can result in skeletal deformities that impair bone health. For example, the high muscle tone in cerebral palsy creates abnormal mechanical stresses around the joints, leading to disordered growth and increased fractures. The frequency of fractures in some studies correlates with the degree of physical impairment: The greater the degree of physical compromise (e.g., spastic quadriplegia as compared to spastic diplegia), the greater the occurrence of fractures. Bone health becomes particularly important when surgery is performed to correct those deformities. Postoperatively, healthy bones are better able to heal and resist infection.