All About Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy commonly affects children around the world at very early stage of their infancy. It is caused by brain damage caused before or during child birth. There is no medical cure for CP but continuous treatment and therapy can be extended to help the child living with the condition.
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is usually caused by brain damage and it affects the overall muscle movement, locomotion and speech and muscle quality in the child. Some CP patients may also have problems with learning and understanding. Though often developed during infancy children between the age of 3 years and 5 years can also develop the condition.
This is one of the most common congenital disorders and according to medical research affects one in every four hundred children in countries like the UK. Around 1,800 babies are reported to have diagnosed with the condition in the UK each year.
Three types of disorders are recognized in medical science. Those are:
• Spastic CP — It prevents natural muscle movement and causes stiffness.
• Athetoid CP— The affected person can’t control his/her muscle movement. The movements are often involuntary and uncontrolled.
• Ataxic CP — Affects the sense of balance and depth in the patient, so the patient has increased chances of falling down.
CP has an effect on overall muscle control and coordination and as a result, the affected person faces challenges in performing daily activities. It can also affect the movements of internal muscles and the patient may have problems associated with breathing, bladder and bowel control etc. However, CP doesn’t get worse over time.
Cerebral Palsy Treatment mainly involves therapy, special schools and teaching techniques are employed to help a child with Cerebral Palsy condition. The aim is to help the child to master some control over his/her body so that he or she can perform some of the daily activities without assistance. Therapeutic treatment comprising physiotherapy, vocational therapy along with medication is targeted to relieve some symptoms and to grow self-dependence and self-esteem in the child. Since a child affected by CP can also develop certain other disorders it is very important to put her under medical guidance at very early stage. Individual therapy plans can be drawn depending upon the special requirements of the child.
CP is a neurological disorder that affects overall brain and nervous system. Though the actual cause isn’t known yet but it is related to improper brain development during pregnancy or brain damage during child birth. Efforts are made to spread awareness about the various disorders that affect proper growth of a child. Parents need to develop special understanding about their child with CP and help him/her grow as normally as possible. It would need patience, kindness, understanding and assistance. Some preventive measures can be taken during pregnancy and the early months of infancy to protect a child from developing Cerebral Palsy. Consult your doctor for more assistance.
