CEREBRAL PALSY – All You Need To Know
May 23, 2022
Admin
‘Cerebral’ means ‘Brain’ and ‘Palsy’ means ‘Muscle weakness’. It is a group of disorder that leads to poor postural tone, movements and balance. It affects the child during its underdeveloped immature brain either during his/her growing stage or during pregnancy itself due to any trauma or fall. It may be of various types among which Spastic Hemiplegic side is the commonest form affecting the child.
What may be the risk factors to develop CP?
Some of the risk factors that make the child vulnerable to CP may be during the pregnancy, labour or even after the birth.
Maternal causes:
- Infection – It could be any viral infection like CMV, Rubella, or herpes that may travel through placenta and infect the child as well but these can be prevented by vaccination.
- Intra-uterine Causes – Any infection to placenta or ‘torques tangles’ of placenta that may lead to deficient nutrition supply to the infant resulting in malnourished brain with lack of oxygen may develop CP.
- Others – Mother suffering from thyroid problem or gestational diabetes.
Infant related causes:
- Jaundice – Severe or untreated jaundice when is unable to filter by-products from blood stream leads to jaundice.
- Infection or Inflammation – Bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis that may result in inflammation around brain or spinal cord of child
Labour causes:
- Breech delivery – When the delivery of child happens from legs out first instead of head may lead to trauma or bleeding into the brain.
- Premature Birth – Delivery before 37 weeks, low birth weight, or weak immune system of a child makes him more prone to develop the infection and CP.
When to see a doctor?
Whenever a mother or any of the family member notices any of the following symptom in a child then you should immediately visit to a doctor:-
- Most common symptom is the stiff muscles or un-coordinated musclura movements.
- Exaggerated Reflexes or spasticity
- Muscle movement either too tight or flappy
- Difficulty walking or loss of balance
- Difficulty in speech or swallowing
- Excessive drooling or salivation formation
- Un-coordinated eye response
- Lack of fine movement like grasping or holding
If any of the family member notices any of these symptoms then you must take your child immediately to the doctor and confirm the diagnosis.
Ways to investigate CP?
- MRI/CT Scan – These scans may the show the inactivity in the brain through imaging.
- Blood Test – these test can be done to rule out other underlying causes like infections.
- Physical findings – Doctor will examinethe child through the delayed milestones and other measures like lack of balance, muscle tone and normal ranges.
Management
- Medical management – Muscle relaxant and sedatives works best to reduce and control the spasticity of the child. Baclofenac and Diazepam being the commonest form of muscle relaxant which your doctor may prescribe to relax the muscles.
- Surgical management – Orthopaedic may use some surgical approach the compression or stiffness to increase the range of joints.
- Therapy – Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy plays the most important role in maintain the child functional.
Physiotherapy Management
- Mobility – Mobilisation of the child is very essential to make him/her activate in daily activities or fulfilling his special needs with minimal support.
- ADL – Activities of daily living like feeding, grooming, bathing and toileting can be taught with some special modifications can be taught with the help of physical therapist and occupational therapist.
- Communication – Special signs and ways to communicate must be taught both to the child and to the family members in order to express their feeling, thoughts and needs.
- Range of motion – Specific group of muscle stretching and strengthening exercises are to be taught to keep the child in motion and functional as much as possible.
For further help reach the best Neuro Physiotherapist in Gurgaon located in different sectors 45, 42, 28 & 83. We here look for the betterment of the child keeping in note to make the child most functional and independent as much as possible. We here look for educational training also for both the child and family members to help the child and make him learn at the home also. For further details contact us at 8929294515 or www.dynafisio.com
