CEREBRAL PALSY(CP) is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way) in a child. It is usually caused by a brain damage that happens before or during a baby's birth, or during the first 3 to 5 years of a child's life. This brain damage also can lead to other health issues, including vision, hearing, and speech problems; and learning disabilities.
There is no cure for CP, but treatment include therapy, special equipment, and, in some cases, surgery can help kids who are living with the condition.
What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
The exact causes of CP aren't always known. But many cases are the result of problems during pregnancy when a fetus' brain is either damaged or doesn't develop normally. This can be due to infections, maternal health problems, a genetic disorder, or something else that interferes with normal brain development. Rarely, problems during labor and delivery can cause CP.
Premature babies — particularly those who weigh less than 3.3 pounds (1,510 grams) — have a higher chance of having CP than babies that are carried to term.
Brain damage in infancy or early childhood also can lead to CP. For example, a baby or toddler might suffer damage because of lead poisoning, bacterial meningitis , poor blood flow to the brain, being shaken as an infant ( shaken baby syndrome ), or being in a car accident.
What problems does CEREBRAL PALSY cause
1. Abnormal muscle tone.The child's muscles becomes stiff( spastic muscles) or very weak(flacid muscles).This in turn affects the child's ability to perform age related tasks.
2. delay in development i.e the child experience some delay in achieving skills needed at every phase of their life such as delay in being able to roll on the bed, crawl, sit, stand, and walk at the appropriate age of achieving these mile stones.
3. Hearing problems
4. Speech problems
5. Behavioral abnormalities
6. Gait abnormalities
What are the signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy.
1. Abnormal muscle tone I.e you find it difficult to move the child's arms legs and body because they are either stiff or very weak
2. The child is unable to roll on the bed, crawl, sit stand walk etc.
3. Abnormal shape of the head eyes and the legs or arms
4. Child has no interest in playful activities of his or her age.
5. Hearing problems
6. Poor facial expressions in the child e.g inability to gaze at objects
7. Speech problems
THERAPY MANAGEMENT OF CEREBRAL PALSY
The management of cerebral palsy involves multidisciplines such as physiotherapy, occupational therapist, speech therapist, medical doctors etc
The aim of therapy is to normalize the muscle tone, to improve movements in the limbs, to help the child achieve some developmental milestone such as to help the child roll, sit crawl stand walk etc.
THERAPY TECHNIQUES TO HELP THE CHILD ROLL ON THE BED
The therapist uses the following positions to facilitate or initiate rolling in a child with cerebral palsy.Therapy balls, therapy bolsters are useful equipment for teaching rolling
TECHNIQUES FOR SITTING FACILITATION
There are various sitting positions the therapist can use to teach the child sitting, these positions include corner sitting, heel sitting, W-sitting, cross- sitting, long sitting therapyballs and therapy bolsters are also used to train sitting in a CP child.
TECHNIQUES TO FACILITATE OR INITIATE CRAWLING IN A CP CHILD
Crawling positions involves putting the CP child in a quadrupled or all front positions, while stabilizing the lower body part such as the trunk and waist areas and also stabilizing the shoulder area while the child is on a four front position.
The child Should be put on weight bearing on the arm positions to enable upper body strength training. Therapy bolsters are useful in facilitating crawling.
TECHNIQUES FOR TRUNK CONTROL AND STRENGTHENING
The more the child gains a better trunk control the more the child is able to perform gross motor and fine motor activities, therapy bolsters are helpful to achieve this.
TECHNIQUES FOR WEIGHT BEARING ON HANDS AND LEG.
These positions helps to improve strength and balance in the arms and legs which is needed for fine motor and gross motor activities.
TECHNIQUES FOR FACILITATING STANDING IN A CP CHILD
Standing frames, orthotics braces are helpful in facilitation of standing in a cp child.
TECHNIQUES FOR FACILITATING WALKING IN A CP CHILD.
Walking frames, canes, bicycles are helpful in facilitating walking In a CP child.
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