Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often present with chronic respiratory symptoms. Throat swabs were taken in children with CP, aged 0-18 years. Data from patient records were extracted from the electronic medical records. Follow-up of respiratory symptoms was done by the Liverpool respiratory symptom questionnaire (LRSQ) after 3 months. A throat swab and a completed LRSQ after 3 months were received from 79 children with CP. Twenty-eight patients (35.4%) were found to have at least one positive respiratory culture. Only 4 patients (5.1%) were contaminated with PA. Gram negative bacteria were isolated in 21.5% of the positive throat swabs, The prevalence of PA in our population of children with CP is low, gram-negative bacteria were most commonly found. The respiratory consequences of being colonized with these bacteria were limited. These results may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is recommended.

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© 2023 Romaen, Van Ussel, Van Rossem, Kenis, Ceulemans, Van Hoorenbeeck and Verhulst.

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The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.