Cerebral palsy is manifested in a violation of motor functions, which is caused by trauma or abnormal brain development, most often before birth. Typically, signs of the disease appear in infancy and preschool age. Cerebral palsy causes stiffness of the limbs and torso, impaired posture, shakiness when walking, involuntary movements, or all together. People with cerebral palsy often have slow mental development, hearing and vision problems, and cramps. Performing certain procedures can help improve a person’s functional abilities.
Causes
In many cases, it is not exactly known why
cerebral palsy occurs
. Cerebral palsy is a consequence of brain development problems that may arise as a result of factors such as:
- random mutations in genes that control brain formation;
- infectious diseases of the mother that affect the development of the fetus (for example, rubella, chickenpox, toxoplasmosis, syphilis, cytomegalovirus, etc.);
- violation of blood supply in the brain of the child;
- infant infections that cause inflammation of the brain or its membranes (for example, bacterial meningitis, viral encephalitis, severe jaundice, etc.);
- head injury.
Symptoms
Cerebral palsy can be expressed in various symptoms. Problems with movement and coordination may include:
- changes in muscle tone;
- stiff neck;
- lack of muscle coordination;
- involuntary movements and trembling;
- delayed motor skills (for example, cannot hold the head, sit on its own or crawl at the age when healthy children already do this);
- difficulty walking (e.g. walking on bent legs or walking on toes);
- trouble swallowing and excessive salivation;
- delay in speech development;
- difficulties with precise movements (for example, cannot hold a spoon or pencil in his hand);
- vision and hearing problems;
- mental retardation ;
- problems with teeth;
- urinary incontinence.
Diagnostics
To diagnose cerebral palsy, the doctor must perform a brain scan. There are several ways to do this. The preferred test is an MRI scan using radio waves and a magnetic field to obtain a detailed image. Ultrasound and CT scans of the brain can also be performed. If the child has convulsions, the doctor may prescribe an EEG to determine if he is suffering from epilepsy. To exclude other diseases that have symptoms similar to cerebral palsy, you should check the blood.
Treatment
As already mentioned, cerebral palsy cannot be completely cured . Rehabilitation aims to minimize its symptoms. This will require long-term care with the help of an entire medical team of specialists. This group may include a pediatrician or physiotherapist, pediatric neurologist, orthopedist, psychologist or psychiatrist, speech therapist. In the treatment, drugs are used to help reduce muscle density and improve functional abilities. The choice of specific medications depends on whether the problem concerns only certain muscles or affects the entire body. Cerebral palsy can be treated with non-drug methods: with the help of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy. In some cases, surgery may be required.