Decreasing prevalence of cerebral palsy in birth cohorts in South Carolina using Medicaid, disability service, and hospital discharge data, 1996 to 2009.

Birth cohort cerebral palsy (CP) prevalence decreased in South Carolina from 1996 to 2009. CP prevalence was higher in very-low-birthweight infants, non-Hispanic blacks, and males. Three administrative data sets captured 2080 patients with CP in South Carolina. Medicaid claims contributed 51% of unique cases of CP to the cohort. CP diagnoses included 76 patients who died before age 4 years.