Cerebral Palsy
Every person who has cerebral palsy in unique. CP describes many different types of disability, ranging from mild to severe, with different causes, affecting individual in many ways.
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of disorder affecting body movement and muscle co-ordinations development of the brain starts is in early pregnancy and continues until about age three. Damage to the brain during this time may result in CP.
This damage interferes with messages from the brain to the body, and from the body to the brain.
Depending on which areas of the brain have been damaged, one or more of the following may occurs,
1) Muscle tightness or spasm
2) Involuntary movement
3) HDifficulty with walking or running
4) Difficulty with writing and speaking
5) Abnormal perception and sensation
These effects may cause association problem such as difficulties in term poor bladder and bowel control, breathing problem, and pressure for seizures, learning disabilities, hearing impairment vision problems.
People with CP have a normal life expectancy. Damage to the brain is a one-time event so the conditions will our-get worse although the effect of CP may change over time.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Any damage to the developing brain, whether caused by genetic or developmental disorder, injury or disease, may produce CP.
During Pregnancy
1. Multiple births (twins or triplets)
2. A damaged placenta which may interfere with fetal growth.
3. Infection
4. Poor nutrition
5. Exposure to toxic substance
During labour
1. Premature delivery
2. Abnormal positioning of the baby (such as breech or transverse lie)
3. Rupture of the amniotic membranes leading to fetal infection.
In early childhood
1. Infection such as meningitis
2. Brain hemorrhages
3. Head injury following falls
4. A lack of oxygen
5. Seizures
Diagnosis of CP
1. CAT (Computerized Axial Tomography)
2. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging car identify the lesion in the brain).
Types of CP
With so many different cause of CP, it is no surprise that it takes many forms.
1) Quadriplegia
All four limbs are involved
2) Diplegia
All four limbs are involved. Both legs are more severe affected.
3) Hemiplegia
One side of the body is affected. The arm is usually more involved than the leg.
4) Triplegia
Three limbs are involved usually both arms and a leg.
5) Monoplegia
Only one limb is affected, usually an arm.
Classification By Movement Disorder
The location of the brain injury will determine low movement is affected.
i) Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Spastic CP is the most common type and is caused by damage to the motor cortex of brain.
Spastic muscles are tight and stiff, which limit movement.
ii) Choreo – Atnetoid Cerebral Palsy
Children may have involuntary movements (which frequently cease while they sleep) or have difficulty with stills that require coordinated movements such as speech or reaching and grasping object smoothly.
iii) Mixed Type Cerebral Palsy
Usually one spasticity is more obvious at first, with involuntary movement increasing as the child develops.
Treatment and Management of CP
If you have a child with CP it is easy to be over helped by the number of professionals involved with your child and the different management and therapy options. Some adults with CP considered the therapy and/or surgery they had as children was very helpful.
Therapy
Physical Therapy
A physical therapist specializes in improving the development of the large muscle of the body, such as those in the legs, arms and abdomen. Physical therapist help children learn better way to move and balance.
Occupational Therapy
An occupational therapist specialize in improving the development of the dressing and eating abilities.
Speech /laguage Therapy
A speech and language therapist helps develop better control of the jaw and mouth muscle to improve speech.
Surgical Management
The CP is a group of disorder relating to the brain and to motor function. There is usually some degree of motor impairment in the cerebral palsy patients. There are also many different types of surgical procedure available for cerebral palsy patients.
Orthopedic and Soft-Tissue Release Surgery
It can help to counter effects of spasticity on the spine, hips and legs. Surgery can lengthen or transfer tendons, enabling the child to move more easily.
Neuro Surgery
It involves surgery on the nerve roots, which control muscle tone. Therapy, surgery and the use of adaptive equipment help many people with CP to use their minds and bodies to their full potential.
The Professional Team of CP Treatment
We are hospital have the professional team including of
1. Audiologist
2. Dentist
3. ENT Surgeon
4. Early childhood educator (ECE)
5. Kinesiologiest
6. Neonatologist
7. Neurologist
8. Neuro surgeon
9. Nutritionist
10. Opthalmologist
11. Physical therapist
12. Occupational therapist
13. Speech & language therapist