Category Archives: Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Learning that your child has cerebral palsy can be devastating news. Yet, by educating yourself, including learning about treatment options and how to help manage the disorder, your child can still live a productive life. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that affects a childs movement, motor skills, and muscle tone. In most cases, cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage that develops while the baby is still in utero or during or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy is a congenital disorder, affecting around 500,000 in the U.S. There is currently no cure for cerebral, but there are numerous treatment options that can help babies and children live quality lives that turn into successful adult lives. Unfortunately, cerebral palsy can lead a number of other medical conditions, depending on the severity of the disorder. Other medical issues associated with cerebral palsy include: The severity andtype of cerebral palsya child has can vary.Some children may just have some muscle spasms, while others are unable to walk. Some may have seizures and some may have cognitive disabilities. The condition can affect any muscles in the body, so possible complications include trouble with balance, eye problems, bladder or bowel problems, poor range … Continue reading →

Several Cerebral Palsy classification systems exist today to define the type and form of Cerebral Palsy an individual has. The classification is complicated by the wide range of clinical presentations and degrees of activity limitation that exist. Knowing the severity, location and type of Cerebral Palsy your child has will help to coordinate care and fund treatment. What type of Cerebral Palsy does my child have? And, why does one doctor classify my childs Cerebral Palsy one way, while the other doctor labels it another way? Professionals who specialize in the treatment of Cerebral Palsy approach the condition from a number of different vantage points. An orthopedic surgeon requires a definition of the limbs affected and the extent of impairment in order to prescribe treatment. Neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists, on the other hand, are more concerned with the cause of the brain damage and descriptors for imposing white and gray matter so as to determine the type of brain injury or brain malformation. They are also concerned with diagnosing the extent and severity level of the childs Cerebral Palsy. At first, a parent may be concerned with the severity level classification mild, moderate or severe in order to better understand the … Continue reading →

Several Cerebral Palsy classification systems exist today to define the type and form of Cerebral Palsy an individual has. The classification is complicated by the wide range of clinical presentations and degrees of activity limitation that exist. Knowing the severity, location and type of Cerebral Palsy your child has will help to coordinate care and fund treatment. What type of Cerebral Palsy does my child have? And, why does one doctor classify my childs Cerebral Palsy one way, while the other doctor labels it another way? Professionals who specialize in the treatment of Cerebral Palsy approach the condition from a number of different vantage points. An orthopedic surgeon requires a definition of the limbs affected and the extent of impairment in order to prescribe treatment. Neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists, on the other hand, are more concerned with the cause of the brain damage and descriptors for imposing white and gray matter so as to determine the type of brain injury or brain malformation. They are also concerned with diagnosing the extent and severity level of the childs Cerebral Palsy. At first, a parent may be concerned with the severity level classification mild, moderate or severe in order to better understand the … Continue reading →

Articles OnCerebral Palsy Cerebral Palsy Cerebral Palsy Even though CP can't be cured, a variety of treatments can help people who have CP to make the most of their abilities and physical strength, prevent complications, and improve their quality of life. Specific treatment varies by individual and changes as needed if new issues develop. In general, treatment focuses on ways to maintain or improve a person's quality of life and overall health. Regular visits with your child's doctor and specialists are important for monitoring your child's condition. Treatment for CP includes: Physical therapy and special equipment may be used together, such as for constraint-induced movement therapy, also called shaping. This encourages a child to increase movements by presenting interesting activities or objects and giving praise and rewards when a child attempts to use the less-functioning muscles. Ongoing treatment for cerebral palsy (CP) focuses on continuing and adjusting existing treatments and adding new treatments as needed. Working with others involved with your child's care, understanding your child's needs and rights, and taking care of yourself and other family members are all important parts of treatment. For more information, see Home Treatment. Physical therapy is an important treatment that begins soon after … Continue reading →

Articles OnCerebral Palsy Cerebral Palsy Cerebral Palsy What is cerebral palsy? Cerebral palsy is a group of problems that affect body movement and posture. It is related to a brain injury or to problems with brain development. It is one of the most common causes of lasting disability in children. Cerebral palsy causes reflex movements that a person can't control and muscle tightness that may affect parts or all of the body. These problems can range from mild to severe. Intellectual disability, seizures, and vision and hearing problems can occur. Cerebral palsy is caused by a brain injury or problem that occurs during pregnancy or birth or within the first 2 to 3 years of a child's life. It can be caused by: In many cases, the exact cause of cerebral palsy is not known. Everyone with cerebral palsy has problems with body movement and posture. But the physical problems are worse for some people than for others. Some people who have cerebral palsy have a slight limp or a hard time walking. Other people have little or no control over their arms and legs or other parts of the body, such as the mouth and tongue, which can cause … Continue reading →

Maintaining nutrition in children with cerebral palsy is not so easy task. The difficulties are multiple; it can be because of constipation, unbalanced diet, under nutrition or overfeeding, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, hyper or hyposensitivity to touch around mouth. Parents have to make sure that they should make child sit for defecation at the same time everyday even if they dont pass stool for few days. This sets their biological clock. They should be comfortable while sitting on commode otherwise they can be afraid to it. diet should include more fiber to facilitate defecation and care should also be taken for sufficient fluid intake. Besides this we have to be very vigilant about a balanced diet containing all the nutrients in right proportion like cereals, pulses, green vegetables, fruits etc.if the child is undernourished then he/she shall have low immunity and if overweight then it will further make mobility difficult. Since these children are mostly confined to homes they are very much prone to develop rickets/ osteomalacia. Exposure to sunlight and supplementation of Vit D are also essential for its prevention. Dental care is very important because many times it lead to dental carries, cavity which eventually affects chewing. … Continue reading →

What Is Cerebral Palsy? Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way). CP usually is caused by brain damage that happens before or during a baby's birth, or during the first 3 to 5 years of a child's life. This brain damage also can lead to other health issues, including vision, hearing, and speech problems; and learning disabilities. There is no cure for CP, but treatment, therapy, special equipment, and, in some cases, surgery can help kids who are living with the condition. Cerebral palsy is one of the most common congenital (existing at or before birth) disorders of childhood. About 500,000 children in the United States have the condition. The three types of CP are: Because cerebral palsy affects muscle control and coordination, even simple movements like standing still are difficult. Other functions that also involve motor skills and muscles such as breathing, bladder and bowel control, eating, and talking also may be affected when a child has CP. Cerebral palsy does not get worse over time. The exact causes of CP aren't always known. But many cases are the result of problems … Continue reading →

What is Cerebral Palsy? While Cerebral Palsy (pronounced seh-ree-brel pawl-zee) is a blanket term commonly described by loss or impairment of motor function, Cerebral Palsy is actually caused by brain damage. The brain damage is caused by brain injury or abnormal development of the brain that occurs while a childs brain is still developing before birth, during birth, or immediately after. Cerebral Palsy affects body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. It can also impact fine motor skills, gross motor skills and oral motor functioning. Signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy may not always be apparent at birth. The child will likely experience a delay in development and growth milestones. About two to three children out of every 1,000 have Cerebral Palsy studies in the United States studies have yielded rates as low as 2.3 per 1,000 children to as high as 3.6 per 1,000 children. Today, although there is no cure for Cerebral Palsy, but the condition can be managed and individuals with Cerebral Palsy can live a long, healthy and quality life. To learn about the various aspects of Cerebral Palsy, click on the links below. See the original post here: About Cerebral … Continue reading →

Little Ivy Rose has a smile that lights up a room but unless her parents raise enough money for groundbreaking treatment she will have to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. The three-year-old faces a life of isolation because her cerebral palsy means she can do very little for herself. But she is a delightfully engaging child who shows courage beyond her years. Stephen and Sky Summers, from Shotts, Lanarkshire, were devastated when their little girl was born prematurely with medical difficulties. Ivy was born just a year after the couples twins, Xander and Sandy died after being born too prematurely. Sky, 36, said: They died in my arms. One was just under an hour, the other just over an hour. When Ivy also arrived early her parents feared she would die too. Now they are determined to do everything within their power to ensure she gets the very best chance to live as normal a life as possible. Sky said: When Ivy arrived, she was whisked off to ICU. I didnt even get to touch her. We didnt think there were going to be big problems at first. She came out crying and gurgling. Initially, Ivy … Continue reading →

A Dublin teen with cerebral palsy has set a date to travel to the US for 'life-changing' surgery, writes Amy Ryan. Courtney Manning, a 19-year-old from Coolock in Dublin, lives with cerebral palsy and has seen her mobility deteriorate over the last number of years, with the likelihood that she will be wheelchair-bound in the next year. Courtney has booked her flights to the US for November 5, 2017 so she hopes to raise the remaining 50,000 over the next two months. In January, Courtney began campaigning to raise funds after being approved for selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery in St Louis Children's Hospital, Missouri. SDR involves cutting of some of the sensory nerve fibres that come from the muscles and enter the spinal cord. The hospital has said that SDR is the only surgical procedure that can provide permanent reduction of spasticity in cerebral palsy and they have had great success with patients, with certain types of CP, who have received the treatment. Courtney has tried various treatments such as Botox and splints to alleviate the symptoms to no avail. In March 2016, she had a major surgery on her Achilles tendon to have them lengthened however, the teenager had … Continue reading →