Cerebral palsy is a condition that mostly affects children. It usually involves development of movement, posture or muscle tone and is characterized by immature, somewhat damaging brain development. It mostly affects children before birth. Children usually experience symptoms during the preschool years or infancy. A child may suffer from impaired movement which is associated with abnormal reflexes, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteady gait, stiffness or floppiness of the trunk and limbs or a combination of all these symptoms. People suffering from this condition may also have problems with swallowing and vision due to imbalance of the eye muscles. Cerebral palsy can cause a person to lose mobility, which can result in intellectual disability in another person. Some other symptoms may include blindness, deafness and epilepsy.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by many factors. So the cerebral palsy treatment is as complex as the disease itself. The main goals of treating cerebral palsy include: improving mobility, controlling pain, managing primary conditions, maximizing mental development, promoting self-care, improving interaction with society and family improving learning ability, controlling pain and providing a better quality of life.
Treatment involves taking several different steps. A child may require the services of an entire medical care team that may include a pediatrician, orthopedic surgeon, speech-language specialist, mental health specialist, developmental therapist, physical therapist And even a special education and teacher may be involved. Sometimes medicines and alternative treatments are also used. In some cases, a doctor also recommends surgery.
How is cerebral palsy treatment?
Both children and adults with cerebral palsy require the services of a medical care team that includes a pediatrician or physician who oversees the entire treatment plan. An orthopedic surgeon is required to treat muscle and bone growth. A child suffering from this condition may require the services of an occupational therapist, who will help him develop skills and use adaptive products that will help him perform daily activities. Speech-language specialist helps a person facing problems with speech, language and swallowing problems. A special education teacher will help in solving the problems associated with learning by identifying the special educational needs of the individual. Sometimes the doctor may recommend medicines to improve the functioning of the body, treat pain or manage any complications arising from spasticity or other symptoms of cerebral palsy. Doctors may recommend Botox injections to be administered directly into a muscle or nerve if a person suffers from spasticity of a muscle group. Oral muscle relaxants are drugs like Valium, dantrium and gablofen which are used to treat generalized spasticity.
Physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy and speech and language therapy help a person with cerebral palsy improve his or her functional abilities. Also, children suffering from severe deformities may be recommended orthopedic surgery. This surgery is basically used to keep the arms, legs or hips in their correct position. When all other treatments have failed, a surgeon may perform a procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy. This involves cutting the nerve that feeds the spastic muscle.
Who is eligible for the treatment of Cerebral Palsy?
A person with cerebral palsy may have underdeveloped muscles, poor balance and coordination known as ataxia, spastic paralysis, athetosis or involuntary and slow movements and limited range of body movement Could The child may have issues with his/her core development; Vision may suffer from hearing and seizures, and there may be problems with sucking, swallowing and feeding and there may also be difficulty in controlling bladder or bowel movements. A person facing some or most of these symptoms is eligible for the treatment.
Who is not eligible for the treatment?
A doctor can check the medical history of an infant and see whether he is suffering from cerebral palsy or not. A doctor will check a child’s movements, posture, muscle tone and his reflexes. And the doctor will make sure whether the child is eligible for treatment or not. a person from other situations