INFORMATION ON CEREBRAL PALSY

Cerebral palsy is a broad term encompassing number of disorders hampering brain; which occur mainly during birth, affecting motor activities without any harm to intellectual power. Damage to some portion of brain which are responsible for fine motor tasks and posture of the body leads to cerebral palsy.

CAUSES OF CEREBRAL PALSY

Cerebral palsy is caused by injury to the cerebrum (the major portion of the brain, which involved with higher mental faculties, voluntary muscle activities and sensations).
Initially cerebral palsy was considered to be related to birth asphyxia (strangulation during birth, which leads to deficiency of oxygen to the brain) and trauma, but in a study of 45,000 births it was shown that birth asphyxia is an unusual cause of cerebral palsy. Affected brain region receives lower levels of oxygen at some point, but the cause is unknown.

Premature children have a slightly higher occurrence of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy can also occur during early childhood as a result of illnesses (encephalitis, herpes simplex infections, and so on),

Injury to the cerebrum may result in the loss of nerve functions in widely different regions. The classical finding of Cerebral palsy may affect a single limb, one side of the body ( called as spastic hemiplegia), both legs ( called as spastic diplegia) or both arms and legs ( called as spastic quadriplegia). In addition, there can be partial or complete loss of movement (paralysis), sensory abnormalities, and fault of hearing and vision. Speech defect are general and fits may occur.

Few Main causes  of Cerebral Palsy

• Head injury (during pregnancy, birth or initial years of life)
• Jaundice
• Rh incompatibility
• Rubella (German Measles)
• Difficulty during birth
• Low blood sugar level in child
• Congenital brain conditions
• Hemolytic disease of the newborn
• Meningitis
• Maternal infections
• Maternal alcoholism
• Maternal drug abuse
• Prematurity
• Stroke
• Brain injury - bleeding in the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage IVH)
  

SYMPTOMS OF CEREBRAL PALSY

Signs start appearing before 3 years of age.

• Difficulty in sucking and swallowing
• Weak or shrill cry
• Odd positions - The child's body is at times very stiff while at times it is very flexible, and may show arch like postures
• Smaller muscles in affected arms or legs - Movements in affected parts are restricted
• Abnormal sensations and perceptions - Difficulty in identifying common objects
• Skin irritation - Drooling affects skin, near the mouth, lips; affects muscles
• Dental problems - Cavities and gum diseases develop due to difficulty in brushing
• Accidents - Due to uncontrolled muscle movements, diminished strength and spasms, falls and other
  accidents are at high probability
• Infections and long-term illnesses - Risk of pneumonia in children due to problem in eating; and
  risk of heart and lung diseases in adults
• Improper regulation of motor tasks (such as writing or using scissors)
• Difficulty maintaining balance or walking
• Involuntary movements
• Slow developmental process such as learning to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk
  
  Some more Symptoms
  .. Seizures
  .. Contractions of muscles
  .. eels in difficulty sucking or feeding
  .. Breathing is irregular
  .. Motor skills development is delayed, such as walking, sitting, rolling, crawling, and so on
  .. Mental retardation
  .. Abnormalities in speech
  .. Abnormalities in visual
  .. Abnormalities in hearing
  .. Joint contractures are progressive
  .. Limited range of motion
  .. Hook teeth

DIAGNOSIS OF CEREBRAL PALSY

• Medical history
• Physical examination
• Screening tests
• Magnetic resonance image (MRI)
• Intelligence testing, to identify below-normal intelligence (mental retardation)
• Seizures
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Vision or hearing
• Psychological evaluation
• X-rays
• Gait analysis
• Testing motor skills and reflexes
  
  
  

TREATMENT OF CEREBRAL PALSY

There is no cure for cerebral palsy. However, treatment is needed to manage symptoms, prevent complications, and perform abilities normally.

• Physical therapy
• Medications - including antispasmodics, anticonvulsants, anticholinergics - to control seizures
• Orthopedic surgery - to overcome impairments
• Biofeedback
• Massage therapy and hatha yoga
• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Nutritional counseling
• Special braces- for muscle imbalance
• Psychological and emotional counseling