Cerebral Palsy

There are a number of different kinds of cerebral palsy, but regardless of the names given, it is a neurological disorder. What this means is that even though it affects body movements, body muscle coordination and may include speech problems, it is caused by brain damage, either upon birth, from genetics abnormalities or from an illness that caused brain damage as an infant, or even some sort of accident that affected the brain, i.e. car accident.

As a brain damaged child is born, it may not be readily noticeable that the baby will later show problems with walking, or speech, thus cerebral palsy is usually diagnosed later than many would want. Earlier treatment is usually more beneficial, so it is important for the child to receive a proper diagnosis as soon as possible.

The problem is, of course, that the accepted symptomatology is so very diverse. About the only medically accepted cause for cerebral palsy at this time is premature birth, since approximately 40-50% of children with this neurological disorder were born prematurely.

Although there is no cure perse for cerebral palsy, occupational and physical therapy has been found to be beneficial, as have speech therapies, and drugs that control any seizures that the child is liable to suffer from. It also common to give drugs that will control pain and since most of these patients suffer from muscle spasms, various drugs have been developed that can also control those spasms.

If necessary, and the physical abnormalities dictate it, there are also surgical means available to release the tightened muscles. Orthopedic surgery has been found to be extremely beneficial for some patients. As the child grows up, and if the disabilities are profound, of course then there is the use of various braces, wheelchairs, walkers and computers that are now equipped with voice synthesizers.

Receiving a diagnosis of cerebral palsy does not necessarily mean that the child will be very severely affected by it either, for the symptoms seem to vary with each child. Some are unfortunately relegated to wheelchairs early in childhood but many people who have extremely mild cases of cerebral palsy may only show symptoms of it when they are enormously tired or mentally overwrought brought on by an external problem that has caused them to be emotionally off balance, as it were. For those who very occasionally suffer from seizures, this is usually the catalyst for a seizure.

In recent years, scientists have found that there are numerous causes for cerebral palsy that they were blind to even in the 1960. For instance, they can now find genetic defects that cause the neurological disorder. Also, traumatic events to an infant brain that results in circulation troubles, problems with breathing, epileptic seizures, and bleeding may also leave cerebral palsy damage in their wake.

Many children who suffer near drowning, for example, show symptoms of the neurological disorder very soon afterward. It has also been found that frequently mothers who are alcoholics who continue to drink during pregnancy often give birth to babies who have cerebral palsy.

Cerbral Palsy

ataxic cerbral palsy

Cerebral Palsy

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