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Cerebral Palsy is a group of neurological disorders that permanently affects body movements and muscle tone or posture. It is caused due to brain damage in the early stages of the brain development of a child. The term ‘cerebral’ refers to the brain, and ‘palsy’ means the loss or impairment of motor functions.

Symptoms

The following symptoms could be seen in a child who has Cerebral Palsy;
– Weakness in one or more arm/ leg.
– Walking on toes/ crouched gait/ scissored gait.
– Lack of muscle coordination while performing voluntary movements (ataxia).
– Stiff/ tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity).
– Variations in muscle tone – either too floppy or too stiff.
– Excessive drooling.
– Difficulties in swallowing or speaking.
– Shaking/ tremors or random involuntary movements.
– Delayed development of fundamental motor skills.
– Difficulty with performing fine motor actions such as tying shoelace, writing or buttoing a shirt.

Treatments

Cerebral Palsy cannot be cured, but treatments often improve a child’s capabilities. Therefore, it is said to start the treatment as early as possible, as it helps the child to recover faster and live a normal adult life.

Furthermore, there is no fixed or standard therapy for CP, which works for every individual. Thus, doctors perform various diagnostics to determine the type of CP the child is suffering. Then, the healthcare professionals work with the child or his/ her parents to identify specific impairments and needs and then develop ways to tackle them. Based on the type of CP the child suffers from, the different types of treatments for it are as follows;
– Physical Therapy: The child is directed to perform a specific set of exercises to improve balance, muscle strength, and motor skills.
– Occupational Therapy: It mainly focuses on improving the upper body functions, making the best out of the child’s mobility, and refine body posture.
– Recreation Therapy: This therapy encourages the child to partake in cultural programs, sports, and other extracurricular activities to expand cognitive and physical abilities and skills.
– Speech and language therapy: It helps to develop the child’s ability to speak, swallow, and learn new ways to communicate, such as through sign language and computers.
– Drug treatments: Various medicines can also decrease the symptoms of CP and improve the child’s abilities.
– Surgery: There are two types of surgical methods for treating CP, namely; Orthopedic Surgery and Surgery, to cut nerves {or Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR)}.

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