Cerebral Palsy sadly affects many children and many times it is due to problems at childbirth. But the person suffering from this crippling disease can live a life where he or she is self-sufficient. With the proper diagnosis and training of the patient, the disease does not have to fully cripple the individual.
Cerebral Palsy is a crippling disease with its root cause in the neuromuscular regions of the body. Persons suffering from cerebral palsy are mildly to severely disabled for the majority of their lives. It first becomes apparent in young children who have persistent motor function disorders. Some of the causes can be because of diseased conditions during the pregnancy or brain damage occurring during delivery of the fetus. Cerebral palsy appears to have no connection to heredity and about to two percent of the children born have problems with cerebral palsy.There are several underlying causes to cerebral palsy to include:
Brain injury during childbirth
Complications occurred while trying to deliver using forceps
An infection was contracted by the fetus during the delivery process
The fetus could not get enough oxygen during the delivery process
The indications and symptoms are not same among different babies and they will range from mild to severe. It all depends on how much damage was done to the brain in the child birthing process. Here are a few statistics concerning those suffering from cerebral palsy:
Around 20% of children are known to suffer from mild cerebral palsy.
Approximately 50% of children are known to suffer from moderate cerebral palsy and benefit from programs to provide self-help capabilities for living with their decreased ambulatory ability.
Those that suffer from severe cases of cerebral palsy total about 30% of children. Severe cases result in the child being totally incapacitated and unable to care for themselves. These patients are usually confined to a bed.
Here are some of the symptoms of cerebral palsy:
The extremities extend when the baby is suspended vertically.
The patient will drool excessively.
Mental retardation is evident in either a mild or severe form.
There will be spasms in the thigh’s abductor muscles causing the lower limbs to move like scissors.
The person suffering from cerebral palsy can oftentimes find their back arching to the rear.
The reflexes seem to not function normally in the first four weeks after birth.
The muscles do not move easily and are stiff.
Sufferers from cerebral palsy sometimes are partially or totally paralyzed.
Neurological and behavioral development is stalled.
The patient has difficulty swallowing.
The patient will suffer from tremors while trying to make normal movements.
There will be a reduction in the level of hearing either fully or partially.
There will be a marked impact on the patient’s speech.
Visual difficulties will appear and the patient will squint.
Children seem to be more affected by cerebral palsy with frequent convulsions.
The patient will have movements that are not in the normal realm of healthy bodily functioning.
There will be difficulty in walking and lack of muscle tone if the cerebellum is impacted by cerebral palsy.
In diagnosing cerebral palsy, a brain tumor or other neurological disorders must be ruled out first. This is done with sophisticated tests through the MRI and CT scan.
Living with cerebral palsy starts with taking care of oneself by getting healthy nutrition and ensuring that there is someone to watch over the person affected. And, there are medications available that help to reduce the occurrence of stiffness in the muscles and convulsion. One such medication is Diazepam which is effective in the reduction of athetosis and spasticity. Another medication is Dantrolene Sodium in relaxing the muscles supporting the skeleton.
Another form of treatment is with exercise, hydrotherapy, and massage techniques. It does not stop there. Trainers can also work with patients coaching them in new ways to walk, talk, and swallow.
The children going through this therapy need all the support they can get. In fact, it is probably best that they go to the special schools where trained professionals can guide them. Plus, there is the advantage of having special equipment to help them in their motor skills and help them to learn to live with cerebral palsy along with their daily activities.
The ultimate goal in therapy is to help those affected by cerebral palsy become self-sufficient functioning citizens.
source:- Medicalneeds
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