By Tina Jackson
This month our blog is recognizing Cerebral Palsy awareness.
I was born with Cerebral Palsy and can attest to life long struggles to keeping my body active. When I was born in 1956, few doctors were familiar with its cause or how it would affect my life. It took my parents two years to find a paediatrician who could identify my condition and refer us to the correct resources. I owe my life to Dr. Guy Cunningham.
I started a classroom situation to learn independence skills at two years old. It including dressing myself, feeding myself and preparing me to enter public school.
We have come a long way in understanding brain trauma and treatment.
Trying to define and explain Cerebral palsy is very difficult because it is a term broadly used to refer to a varied group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and posture. The cause is as varied, as the symptoms generally caused by lack of oxygen to this particular he baby’s brain that can occur before, during or after birth. It is caused by damage to the developing brain, before birth, or during birth.
Some possible causes are: During Pregnancy
Low Birth Weight Premature Birth
Multiple births Infections
During Pregnancy Infections
Maternal Health Conditions Conditions such as thyroid problems, intellectual disabilities, and seizures in the mother can increase the risk.
During Birth
Complicated Labor and Delivery:
Issues like detachment of the placenta, uterine rupture, or problems with the umbilical cord can disrupt oxygen supply to the baby.
After Birth Infections and Injuries:
Brain infections like meningitis or head injuries during early childhood can also lead to CP. having one or more of these risk factors does not mean a child will definitely develop cerebral palsy, but it does increase the likelihood. It is caused by damage to the developing brain, before birth, or during birth.
The symptoms can vary widely but generally appear during infancy or early childhood.
Common Symptoms Movement and Coordination Issues: Stiff or floppy muscles, exaggerated reflexes, lack of balance, and involuntary movements. Speech and Eating Difficulties: Trouble with speaking, swallowing, and drooling.
Developmental Delays: Delays in reaching motor milestones like sitting or crawling1. Associated Conditions: Intellectual disabilities, seizures, vision or hearing problems12. Causes Cerebral palsy is often due to abnormal brain development or damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth.
Factors include genetic mutations, maternal infections, fetal stroke, and lack of oxygen during birth. Treatment While there is no cure, treatments can help improve function and quality of life. These include physical therapy, medications, surgeries, and assistive devices.
The specific motor types present in CP are determined by the extent, type, and location of a child’s abnormalities.
SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY
Spastic CP is the most common type. People will experience increased muscle tone and their movements may appear stiff or awkward. Different parts of the body can be affected:
Spastic hemiplegia/hemiparesis (Fig. 2) typically affects
the arm, hand, and leg on one side of the body.
Spastic diplegia/diparesis (Fig. 2) involves muscle
stiffness that is predominantly in the legs. The arms may
be affected to a lesser extent
Spastic quadriplegia/quadriparesis is the most
severe form of CP. It is caused by widespread damage to
the brain or significant brain malformations.
DYSKINETIC CEREBRAL PALSY
Dyskinetic motor patterns (also includes athetoid, choreoathetoid, and dystonia) are characterized by slow and uncontrollable writhing or jerky movements of the hands, feet, arms, or legs.
ATAXIC CEREBRAL PALSY
Ataxia affects balance and depth perception. Children with
ataxia will often have poor coordination and walk unsteadily
with a wide-based gait.
MIXED TYPES
Mixed types of CP refer to symptoms that don’t correspond to
any single type of CP but are a mix of types. For example, a
child with mixed CP may have some muscles that are too tight
and others that are too relaxed.
Common treatments for Cerebral Palsy
Physical therapy and rehabilitation. A child with cerebral palsy usually starts these therapies in the first few years of life or soon after being diagnosed. Physical therapy is one of the most important parts of treatment. It involves exercises and activities that can maintain or improve muscle strength, balance, and movement. A physical therapist helps the child learn skills such as sitting, walking, or using a wheelchair. Other types of therapy include:
Occupational therapy. This type of therapy helps a child learn to do everyday activities such as dressing and going to school.
Recreational therapy. Participating in art programs, cultural activities, and sports can help improve a child’s physical and intellectual skills.
Speech and language therapy. A speech therapist can help a child learn to speak more clearly, help with swallowing problems, and teach new ways to communicate, such as by using sign language or a special communication device.
Orthotic devices. Braces, splints, and casts can be placed on the affected limbs and can improve movement and balance. Other devices that can help with movement and posture include wheelchairs, rolling walkers, and powered scooters.
Assistive devices and technologies. These include special computer-based communication machines, Velcro-fastened shoes, or crutches, which can help make daily life easier.
Medication. Certain medications can relax stiff or overactive muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They may be taken by mouth, injected into affected muscles, or infused into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord through a pump implanted near the spinal cord. For children who have cerebral palsy and epilepsy (seizures), standard epileptic medications should be considered, but these medications may also have negative effects on the developing brain.
Surgery. A child may need surgery if symptoms are severe. For instance, surgery can lengthen stiff, tightly contracted muscles. A surgeon can also place arms or legs in better positions or correct or improve an abnormally curved spine. Sometimes, if other treatments have not worked, a surgeon can cut certain nerves to treat abnormal, spastic movements. Before conducting surgery, it is important for a health care provider to assess the procedure’s benefits by carefully analyzing biomechanics of the joints and muscles.
Not all therapies are appropriate for everyone with cerebral palsy. It is important for parents, patients, and health care providers to work together to come up with the best treatment plan for the patient
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