Using the Paediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptom and Quality of Life Questionnaire (PGSQ) in Children With Cerebral Palsy: a Preliminary Validation Study

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common condition, where acid from the stomach leaks up into the oesophagus (food pipe) causing highly unpleasant symptoms and sometimes needing hospital admission. Children with cerebral palsy suffer from a poorly contracting food pipe (oesophageal dysmotility). As a result, GORD is more problematic in these children and more common; of the 8000 children with cerebral palsy aged 5-16 in the UK, around half suffer from reflux disease. This is treated with medicines or surgery. There is not an accurate measure of their symptoms, though there is a suitable questionnaire in well children (the PGSQ). National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have recommended research to assess the effectiveness of medicines to treat GORD in these children (NG1 research recommendation). In the first phase, the investigators will ask 6 parents/carers their opinions about the PGSQ using qualitative interviews, and alter the PGSQ if needed; then in the second phase, ask 20 parents/carers about their child's symptoms to understand the reliability of the PGSQ at two time points 2 weeks apart (test-retest). The investigators won't do any invasive tests on the children but will ask parents about their opinions of their children taking part in pH-impedance monitoring, which is used to assess severity of GORD and may be useful in designing future studies.