Cerebral Palsy is a widespread defect affecting more than 500,000 American children and adults. It is calculated that every year this chronic ailment is detected in 8,000 babies and 1,500 children between the ages of 2 and 3. What is cerebral palsy and what happens to its sufferers? Cerebral palsy is a disorder, not a disease. When children develop cerebral palsy, their movement skills and motor are affected. Cerebral palsy is a term describing the impaired movement control during the first years of child’s life. The disorder is not progressive by nature but it changes a quality of life.
Cerebral palsy does not afflict adult people; it affects children and is the problem for a lifetime. Cerebral palsy usually results from the improper development or impairment of the motor area in the brain. This area is responsible for controling posture and movement.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy (CP) are:
* problems with motor tasks such as writing
* involuntary movements
* problems with maintaining balance
* difficulty with walking
However, the indications tend to change and differ in various cases. Some people suffering from cerebral palsy also have other medical disorders, such as mental impairment and/or seizures; however it is necessary to remember that cerebral palsy does not always result in handicap or retardation. Most indications of CP appear before a child is three years old. Infants suffering from the disorder have difficulties with learning how to sit, roll over, smile, crawl and even walk.
In many cases CP is a congenital birth defect. There are cases where the disorder can result from jaundice, head injury, Rh incompatibility or Rubella. In such situations cerebral palsy is treatable and can be prevented. The disorder is diagnosed by employing specialized tests (MRI’s, CT scans and ultrasounds) to check the motor and reflexive skills of a child.
SYMPTOMS & SIGNS:
The characteristics of all kinds of cerebral palsy include:
* improper muscle tone
* improper posture
* improper reflexes
* abnormal coordination and motor development
The more typical symptoms of cerebral palsy include
* paralysis
* spasticity
* seizures
* difficulty with walking
* dysarthria or a speech defect
Cerebral palsy does not always result in mental retardation, however approximately
20 to 30% of people suffering from the disorder are mentally retarded.
Most of the symptoms mentioned above are typical and are usually found in nearly each case, it is necessary to be aware of the fact that the symptoms can vary from person to person and can alter in the course of time.
KINDS OF CEREBRAL PALSY:
There are 3 main kinds of cerebral palsy;
* spastic cerebral palsy
* athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy
* ataxic cerebral palsy
In spastic cerebral palsy, muscles are very stiff and the movement is very difficult. Both legs are usually affected and a child may have difficulties with walking.
In athetoid or dyskinetic CP, the muscle tone is affected so a child has problems with sitting and walking properly. This results from the fact that muscle tone are either too loose or too tight. This type of CP often means that a child may not swallow, suck or speak properly because facial muscles are also affected. In ataxic CP, coordination and balance are affected. As a result, a child has problems with precise motor skills (writing, using scissors) and suffers from an unsteady walk.
CAUSES OF CEREBRAL PALSY
In most cases the direct cause of cerebral palsy is unknown, so there is nothing to do to prevent it. However, according to experts, 70% of CP cases result from events that take place before birth and impair the development of the brain.
The known causes of CP are:
*infections during pregnancy: cytomegalovirus, rubella, chorioamnionitis and toxoplasmosis
* premature birth
* insufficient oxygen to the fetus
* lack of oxygen (asphyxia) during labor and delivery
* blood diseases (such as Rh disease)
* serious jaundice
* other birth defects including genetic illnesses, brain malformations and other physical birth defects.
Acquired cerebral palsy - in approximately 10% of cases cerebral palsy is acquired and results from brain injuries that take place during the first two years after birth. The most typical injuries are brain infections like meningitis as well as head injuries.
TREATMENT
Cerebral palsy has no cure; however treatment and medication can help CP sufferers live almost normal lives. There is no standard treatment for Cerebral palsy, however drugs are often employed to control symptoms such as muscle spasms and seizures. Face, arm or leg braces are also used for muscle imbalances. Surgery seems to be an option for children suffering from serious forms of the disorder. Children who are victims of cerebral palsy need psychological and emotional counseling as well as physical, speech, occupational and behavioral therapy.
