5 Things You Should Know About A Cerebral Palsy

cerebral-palsy-treatment

What is Cerebral Palsy? 

Cerebral palsy is a type of movement disability or neurological disorder. Cerebral means having to do with the brain, and palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles. Cerebral palsy (CP) can cause a person to have tightness or stiffness of their limbs (arms and legs). It can also have effects on speech, vision, learning, hearing, attention, memory, and behavior. There are different types of cerebral palsy based on symptoms and available cerebral palsy treatment. 

It depends on where in the brain the damage is and how serious it is. Cerebral palsy can make movement difficult or impossible, and keeping your balance can be difficult. 

Types of Cerebral Palsy 

Cerebral palsy is a physical disability that is caused by damage to the brain before, during, or after childbirth. Cerebral palsy affects every person differently, therefore there are three main types of cerebral palsy. There is athetoid cerebral palsy, also known as dyskinesia. This type of cerebral palsy typically causes uncontrolled movements and gestures such as flailing arms. Another type of cerebral palsy is spastic which for example can cause stiffness in the lower body limbs and the trunk. Lastly, there is ataxic cerebral palsy which typically causes movement problems in the upper body and arms.”

The effects of spastic cerebral palsy include stiff muscles, slow deliberate movements, and poor balance and coordination. No two pupils are affected in the same way and the severity can vary from case to case. Also, cerebral palsy treatments are available. 

How Cerebral Palsy Caused

How cerebral palsy causes such a wide number of disabilities is complicated. The causes can include maternal infections, blood clotting disorders, problems during labor, very low birth weight, and meningitis. The most common cause is occurring before a baby is born due to injury to the brain or spinal cord.

The underlying cause is always the brain damage that affects the motor cortex of the brain. That damage, in turn, affects the control of muscles used for movement. CP can be caused by damage to the motor cortex at or around birth, but it can also be caused in children and adults as a result of other diseases or injuries that affect the brain or spinal cord. For example, head injuries like concussions and strokes. 

Cerebral Palsy Treatment or Cure

Cure Cerebral Palsy has developed a number of programs that focus on children’s needs. Therapy usually begins as soon as there is a diagnosis and can include: walking aids, wheelchairs, medication, diet management, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture, etc. types of treatments

Physical Therapy: Exercises and activities for physical therapy help a child with a cerebral palsy walk, sit, or move. A team of doctors, nurses, specialists, therapists, and coaches provides care. Physical therapists plan the treatment. They may also design special equipment or tools to be used at home for exercising. 

Occupational, recreational, and speech-language therapy can be effective for children with autism. Teams of professionals work together to develop a plan for each child. They will help you select treatments that best meet your child’s needs.

Medication: Medication can affect people with cerebral palsy differently. The medications used to treat CP tend to be prescribed in combination by your physician, as opposed to one drug for each symptom. For instance, primidone is often prescribed for people with epilepsy who have CP.

Surgery: Surgery is the treatment of choice for some neuromuscular diseases. Surgery may be necessary to correct a muscle contracture, or it can be used to lengthen shortened muscles. For scoliosis, a surgeon may insert a spinal fusion device, which uses metal rods and bone grafts to hold the spine in place. Spasticity can be treated by cutting certain nerves in the spinal cord.

The treatment of cerebral palsy is disappointing for those who would choose to cure a disease that affects the functionality of their child. There are many medical and therapeutic options available, and in conjunction with one another, they help provide a better quality of life. 

Diagnosed 

The first step in any diagnosis is to get as much information on the symptoms as possible. The quicker the condition can be diagnosed and treated, the better a child’s long-term outcome will be. The latest medical technology allows doctors to quickly test for a range of neurological disorders, getting results back in a matter of hours. In cases where cerebral palsy may have been suspected, demyelination can be detected at birth and the doctor can determine whether abnormal brain development has occurred

If you suspect that your child has been born with CP, contact neuroendocrinology specialists for evaluation and treatment.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *