Country Spotlight - Brazil & LATAM-CPR

Spotlight on Brazil & LATAM-CPR Progress

We are thrilled to highlight Brazil as our latest country spotlight within the Global LMIC CP Register (GLM CPR) network. Brazil has reached an exciting milestone with over 1,000 individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) now registered in their national database—an incredible achievement that reflects years of dedication, collaboration, and community engagement.

This success has been supported by a wide range of local activities including outreach in rehabilitation centres and hospitals, ethical approvals, community consultations, and the use of culturally adapted data collection tools. These efforts are not only helping to build an accurate picture of CP in Brazil but are also improving connections between families and the health and rehabilitation systems that support them.

🦸 New Comic Book Resource for Families

In addition to data collection, the Brazil team has also developed an innovative and amily-friendly comic book resource aimed at raising awareness and reducing stigma around cerebral palsy. The comic book shares stories of children with CP in accessible language and illustrations, helping families and communities better understand what CP is, and how children with CP can thrive with the right support. This resource is already making an impact in local communities and has the potential to be adapted in other regions.

📘 LATAM-CPR Manual Now Available

Brazil and Argentina have also jointly published the first official manual for joining the Latin American Cerebral Palsy Register (LATAM-CPR). This step-by-step guide supports other Latin American countries in establishing their own CP registers. It covers critical processes such as forming a local coordinating team, seeking ethics approval, adapting the standardised GLM CPR registration form, and choosing the right tools for data collection and analysis.

Importantly, the manual emphasises flexibility—recognising that every country has different challenges and strengths—and encourages a mix of clinic-based and community-based data collection. This includes strategies for reaching children not currently connected to health services using methods like key informant interviews.

📊 Annual Report and Regional Growth

Argentina and Brazil have also collaborated to produce the first LATAM-CPR Annual Report, summarising data collected to date and the growing regional momentum. This shared publication reflects the strong spirit of cooperation within the Latin American CP network and highlights key achievements, challenges, and future goals for the region.

We look forward to making this report accessible on the website and adding it to each participating country’s profile

The work from Brazil and the LATAM-CPR team demonstrates the transformative power of regional collaboration in building sustainable, community-centred CP surveillance systems. Congratulations to all involved—your leadership continues to inspire global progress in disability inclusion and evidence-based care.

🟢 Stay tuned for more updates from other GLM CPR countries at the upcoming EACD/IAACD conference in Heidelberg, where a combined regional profile will be launched.