Cerebral Palsy: Symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment

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Cerebral Palsy
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Cerebral Palsy

• Cerebral palsy or brain paralysis is the group
  of disorders which affect the movements, balance,
  and posture. This condition may be caused by
  congenital or acquired reasons. In certain cases,
  the cause may be unknown.

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Possible Causes of Cerebral Palsy

• Though in many cases the cause behind cerebral
  palsy is unknown, there are some known causes
  which may either increase the risk or can
  contribute to the occurrence of this condition.
  Following are some of them. 
• Certain infections during pregnancy
  like rubella (German measles), can cause brain
  damage further leading to cerebral palsy.
• Insufficient supply of oxygen to the foetus which
  may be caused due to improper functioning of
  placenta.
• Premature delivery may also lead to this
  condition, especially when the infant is less
  than 3 pounds.
• Lack of oxygen or asphyxia during labour or
  delivery.
• Incompatibility between the Rh factor between
  mother and her foetus.
• Severe jaundice if not taken care of in time, may
  pose high risk of permanent brain damage further
  resulting in cerebral palsy.
• Some children may acquire cerebral palsy after
  birth due to brain infections such
  as meningitis and due to some head injury.

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Symptoms

• Symptoms of cerebral palsy can be first
  identified by the parents, since the child
  suffering from cerebral palsy shows delayed
  characteristics of development. The symptoms may
  be similar to other disorders as well, hence the
  physicians may need to assess on various
  parameters before making the final diagnosis.
  Some of the symptoms found in the children
  suffering from this condition include 
• Lethargy or poor concentration
• Excess irritability
• Trembling of arms and legs
• Poor muscle tone
• Problem in swallowing
• Inability to suck

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Symptoms
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• Frequent seizures and twitching
• Slow or abnormal reflexes
• Asymmetrical posture
• Poor digestion and bowel problems
• The symptoms may appear anywhere between infancy
  to 3 years of age. Also, the intensity of
  symptoms may vary depending upon the severity of
  injury.

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Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy

• Regular assessment and tests of child
  development are conducted so as to find the
  developmental issues. Various comparisons and
  calculations depending upon the child's medical
  history are made so as to rule out the
  possibilities of other disorder or illness. The
  evaluation of child's strengths, weaknesses, and
  abilities is done so that accurate diagnosis can
  be made. The other areas of assessments include
  the child's reflexes, motor skills, posture, and
  condition of mother during pregnancyetc. All
  these tests and assessments help the parents to
  cater to the future needs of their child. Based
  on the degree of disability, the child may or may
  not need a lifelong care.

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Treatments

• Cerebral Palsy cannot be cured, but with the
  help of various treatment and therapies, it can
  help improve the child's capabilities. In many
  children the improvement can be as good as a
  normal person. To get the best results from the
  treatment, it should be started as soon as it is
  diagnosed. The treatment totally depends upon the
  type of cerebral palsy. Following are some of the
  treatments which may help in improving this
  condition.
• Drugs, such as benzodiazepines, intrathecal
  phenol/baclofen and baclofen, to control
  seizures, muscle spasms and alleviate pain
• Surgery to rectify anatomical abnormalities
  and/or relax taut muscles
• Botox, to address contracting muscles

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Treatments
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• Administration of hyperbaric oxygen, to improve
  oxygen availability to damaged brain cells
• To improve everyday skills like talking,
  understanding, learning, and developing social
  and interpersonal skills, few therapies are very
  commonly used, and are quite effective.
• Speech therapy to control the mouth and jaw
  muscles and improve communication
• Physical therapy to improve gait and volitional
  movement
• Occupational therapy to adapt to limitations and
  live independently
• Medical intervention via communication aids such
  as computers fitted with voice synthesizers
• Standing frames to help reduce spasticity
• Neuro-cognitive therapy and patterning

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Treatments
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• Cerebral palsy is characterized by abnormal
  muscle tone and poor motor reflexes. Hence, the
  treatment options for this condition focus on
  improving motor development and coordination.
  They are all designed to address and correct
  varying extent bone deformities and contractures.
  The most important of all treatment options is
  medical and social intervention to educate the
  family on the causes of onslaught and the
  fatalities in the continuum of motor dysfunction.

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