Impact of rTMS Combined With Neurorehabilitation on Lower Extremity Motor Function and Spasticity in Children With Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is widely recognized as the most prevalent cause of lifelong physical disability emerging in childhood across most global populations. While international data typically reports a prevalence ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 per 1,000 live births, in our specific national context, this rate is notably higher, reaching 4.4 per 1,000. CP is defined as a heterogeneous group of permanent disorders that fundamentally disrupt the development of movement and posture. These disruptions lead to significant activity limitations and are attributed to non-progressive disturbances occurring in the developing fetal or infant brain. Beyond primary motor impairments, CP is frequently characterized by a complex constellation of associated symptoms, including sensory and perceptual deficits, cognitive impairments, communication difficulties, behavioral challenges, epilepsy, and secondary musculoskeletal complications that develop over time.Among the various clinical presentations, diplegic CP stands out as the most common subtype of spastic CP, with prematurity identified as the leading etiological factor. In children diagnosed with spastic diplegia, all four extremities are typically involved; however, the clinical hallmark of this subtype is that the lower extremities are significantly more affected than the upper extremities. Despite this lower-body dominance, a loss of fine motor skills is frequently observed in the upper extremities as well. Most children with spastic diplegia face the risk of becoming significantly disabled due to these combined symptoms, a situation that exerts a profound and lasting impact on the quality of life for both the child and their entire family.This complex clinical picture underscores the critical importance of implementing a comprehensive and multidisciplinary CP rehabilitation program. Such programs must be initiated as early as possible, tailored to the child's specific age and functional status, and maintained throughout their entire