Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a developmental disability caused by brain damage before, during or after birth. The word “Cerebral” refers to the brain while “Palsy”, describes lack of muscle control. Cerebral palsy therefore is a broad term for a group pf conditions in which brain damage affects a person’s ability to move and control his or her muscles. Each individual suffering from CP is affected differently depending on the degree of damage. The condition may affect some mildly, perhaps delaying their ability to walk. Worse cases can have difficulty with every aspect of their daily life, from mobility and speech to feeding themselves. They may also suffer from other conditions such as seizures, learning difficulties and hearing or visual impairments.

Persons with C.P need special attention and care due to their vulnerability to socio-cultural, economic and emotional insecurity. The support of a child’s family is, therefore, significant in their well being. We believe that many children with CP are still out there and we are determined to reach them and ensure that they are rehabilitated to enable them realize their full potential


WHAT CAUSES CEREBRAL PALSY?

The simplest answer to this question is that the child has brain damage. But what brings about brain damage in children? There are many possible answers to this second question, because there are many reasons children can sustain brain damage. In general, however, there are two problems that cause cerebral palsy, namely:-

• Failure of the brain to develop properly (developmental brain malformation)
• Neurological damage to the child’s developing brain as a result of injury before, during or after birth.

Problems that lead to brain injuries include:-

• Lack of oxygen before, during, or after birth.
• Bleeding in the brain.
• Toxic injuries, or poisoning, from alcohol or drugs used by the mother during pregnancy.
• Head trauma resulting from birth injury, fall, car accident etc.
• Severe jaundice, very low glucose level, or other metabolic disorders (disorders that usually impair the body’s use of energy or impede the breakdown or production of the body’s building blocks).
• Infections of the nervous system such as encephalitis or meningitis.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

When an infant or child has brain damage, a variety of symptoms can lead doctors and parents to suspect that something is wrong. In the first few months of life the infant with brain damage may have some or all of these symptoms.

i) Lack of alertness; Lethergy.
ii) General irritability or fussiness.
iii) Jitteriness or trembling of the arms and legs.
iv) Abnormal, high pitched cry.
v) Apnea (altered breathing patterns or periods when the child stops breathing).
vi) Bradycardia (very slow heart rate). Apnea and bradycardia are very common in prematurely born infants.
vii) Poor feeding abilities due to problems of sucking and swallowing.
viii) Abnormal primitive reflexes (involuntary responses to certain kinds of stimulation from the environment). For example, an exaggerated startle response to loud noise or sudden movement.
ix) Low muscle tone.
x) Seizures (startling spells, eye fluttering, changes in consciousness, body twitching).

Treatment

• Presently, there is no cure for Cerebral Palsy. However the condition can be managed through therapies for movement, learning, speech, hearing, and social and emotional development.
• Prevention of deformities or contractures (shortening) at the joints if spasticity is present, corrective or orthopaedic surgery if needed
• Use of protective helmets if the child falls frequently.
• Evaluation and optimum management of speech, sight and hearing difficulties.
• Specific training to assist with other problems e.g. feeding, drooling and hyperactivity.
• Special education classes or programs for various kinds of handicaps.
• Control of seizures (if present) by medication, judicious use of all medicines.
The support of a child’s family is most significant in management of the condition.