Jennifer Petry asked:


Understanding cerebral palsy is the first step towards preventing it. Cerebral palsy is a condition when muscle movements and posture is affected (palsy) due to brain damage (cerebral). Unlike chicken pox or measles, cerebral palsy is not a disease but it is a condition. It is not communicable and although there is no cure it is not progressive, as brain damage does not increase over time.

Around a hundred and fifty years ago an English surgeon named William Little first documented and collected information on a peculiar condition that affected children in their early years leading to stiff, spastic muscles in their legs and to a lesser degree their arms. Little found that this condition did not worsen over the years nor did it improve. This condition, known for many years as Little’s disease, is today known as spastic diplegia, one of several types of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a very diverse and complex condition with different people being affected differently. Each specific case is, therefore, as individualistic as the individual patients themselves. It is characterized by an inability to fully control motor function, particularly muscle control and coordination.

Depending on which areas of the brain have been damaged, one or more of the following may occur: muscle tightness or spasticity; involuntary movement; disturbance in gait (walk) or mobility, difficulty in swallowing and problems with speech. In addition, the following symptoms are sometimes associated with cerebral palsy: abnormal sensation and perception; impairment of sight, hearing or speech; seizures; and/or mental retardation. Other problems that may arise are difficulties in feeding, bladder and bowel control, problems with breathing because of postural difficulties, skin disorders because of pressure sores, and learning disabilities.

Despite the pain and suffering that cerebral palsy patients and their caregivers have to bear, the most heartening thing about this disorder is that today there are many measures that can be taken to try and prevent its onset. Tests and prenatal care can prepare a woman and alert her when possible causes arise.

Pregnant women are tested routinely for the Rh factor and, if Rh negative, they can be immunized within 72 hours after the birth (or after the pregnancy terminates) and thereby prevent adverse consequences of blood incompatibility in a subsequent pregnancy. If the woman has not been immunized, the consequences of blood incompatibility in the newborn can be prevented by exchange transfusion in the baby. If a newborn baby has jaundice, this can be treated with phytotherapy (light therapy), which breaks down the bilirubin around the brain. Immunization against measles for all women who have not had measles and are susceptible to becoming pregnant is an essential preventative measure.

Other preventative programs as well as facts about cerebral palsy are directed towards the prevention of prematurity; reducing the exposure of pregnant women to virus and other infections; recognition and treatment of bacterial infection of the maternal reproductive and urinary tracts; avoiding unnecessary exposure to X-rays, drugs and medications; and the control of diabetes, anemia and nutritional deficiencies. Of great importance is optimal well being prior to conception, adequate prenatal care, and protecting infants from accidents or injury.

Although incurable, the disorder can be treated and managed to provide relief to patients. With doctors accumulating new knowledge and information about the disorder every passing day, new techniques and treatments are coming to the fore. Botox, or botulism toxin, is the newest treatment to show high success rates. The Botulism toxin relieves cerebral palsy symptoms by reducing tightness in muscles, which allows better control of movement, and increasing the stretch of muscles, reducing the risk of permanent muscle contractions. In recent tests, some children were even able to write with a pen or use a computer touch screen to communicate for the first time. The continuous finding of new information on cerebral palsy leaves the door wide open for the future of cerebral palsy treatment.



Leslie

Danny Burle asked:


It would be good to have some knowledge of the symptoms of cerebral palsy. Knowing the signs and symptoms of the disorder can ensure prompt therapy for the child with the condition. There are a couple of important facts that you should know about the symptoms of the condition.

* The symptoms are not the same for every child. There are three major types of cerebral palsy. A child’s symptoms will depend on the type that he has. He could have ataxic, atethotic or spastic cerebral palsy. The last one can further be categorized into spastic diplegia, spastic hemiplegia or spastic quadriplegia depending on the limbs affected.

* In some cases, a child could have mixed symptoms from the three major categories. The symptoms of cerebral palsy could therefore include stiff muscles, floppy muscles, asymmetrical gait, drooling, tremors, seizures, uncontrolled movement, foot dragging, scissors gait, difficulty swallowing and possible hearing and sight impairment.

* Some kids with cerebral palsy may also have mental retardation. This is not however, always so. In fact many individuals with cerebral palsy have mental capacities that are normal for their age.

* The symptoms do not have a set time frame when they appear. Some children may show signs and symptoms on the first few days and weeks after birth. Those who may have milder conditions may only show symptoms after a year or more.

* The symptoms of cerebral palsy can make movement difficult. This does not mean though that those with cerebral palsy can never function on their own. Therapeutic techniques and procedures can be designed to help children with the condition achieve their full potential. Many patients who undergo appropriate treatment can live enjoyable and fulfilling lives.

* Therapeutic techniques can range from special exercises to psychotherapy. Some of the methods such as exercises can be performed with parents at home. It is important to remember however that therapeutic programs should be tailor-suited to the condition and ability of an individual. A child’s particular program can be made with the combined assistance of several specialists.

* Specialists work together as a team to help treat the symptoms of cerebral palsy. A team of specialists may include occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychotherapists, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and special education teachers.

* There are guidelines to follow in the diagnosis of the disorder. Specialists may seek to rule out other possible conditions that may come with similar symptoms. Your child’s doctor will also check such factors as reflexes, muscle tone, movement and visible limb deformities.

* Parents should know when to expect babies to perform motor tasks. Parents should be concerned if their baby is not able to learn to crawl, grasp, sit, stand or walk. This is especially so if the child is over one year of age. Consider seeing a specialist if you suspect that your child is extremely delayed in motor function.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy can be alarming. They do not however, spell the end of a good life for your child. Seek therapeutic assistance as soon as possible to help your child become the best that he can be.



Sandra

Allan Wilson asked:


Cerebral palsy affects approximately 800,000 children and adults in the United States.

CP is a chronic condition that affects body movements and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development, or during infancy.

Cerebral palsy was considered a distinct condition in 1861. Dr. William John Little, published the first paper describing the neurological problems of children with spastic diplegia (also known as cerebral palsy). This is still sometimes called Little’s Disease.

Two children out of every thousand born in America have cerebral palsy. At least 5000 infants and toddlers and about 1,400 preschoolers are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year.

There are 4 types of CP. This next set of tips will discuss these types, and their differences.

Spastic

Spastic cerebral palsy is characterized by stiff or permanently contracted muscles. 70-80 percent of people with CP have this type.

Athetoid

Athetoid cerebral palsy is characterized by uncontrolled, slow movements. 10-20 percent of people have this type of CP.

Ataxic

Ataxic CP is characterized by a lack of coordination and balance. This type of CP accounts for 10 percent of all cases of CP. Ataxic CP (or any kind of CP) is not degenerative.

Mixed

Mixed CP is when one person has two or more types of CP. The most common type of mixed CP is Athetoid/Spastic-diplegic or Athetoid/Spastic-hemiplegic.

Diagnosing children with CP at a young age is important. Here are some of the symptoms to look for in a newborn child:

- Lack of alertness

- abnormal cry

- Trembling arms and legs

- Problems ******* and swallowing

- Weak muscle tone

- Favoring one side of the body

- Abnormal reflexes

- Seizures

Abnormal muscle tone is very common in people with cerebral palsy. Even as newborns, their muscles may change from low tone to high tone. They can also go from floppy to very stiff.

If you’re concerned that your child may have CP, look for developmental delays such as:

-Rolling over

-Sitting up

-Crawling

-Talking

-Walking

Understand that it takes time to diagnose cerebral palsy, especially specifying the type of CP. If it’s for a child, his doctor will want to take time to do tests and examine him several times before making the diagnosis.

Age and Race

According to research, the following people have a higher chance of having a child with CP:

-A mother or a father under 20 years old

-A mother over 40 years old

-African-American ethnicity

Blood Type

There is a rare circumstance where the mom’s and child’s blood is incompatible. This is called Rh or ABO blood type incompatibility, and it puts you at risk of having a child with cerebral-palsy.

Micro-Organisms

In rare cases, your infant’s central nervous system can be attacked by micro-organisms. This will put him at high risk of developing cerebral palsy.

Doctor Error

Unfortunately, there are some cases of cerebral-palsy where the doctor was at fault. There are now a ton of lawyers that are dedicated to bringing these doctors to justice. If you think a doctor was at fault for your child’s CP, you can talk to an attorney.

Here are some of the other risk factors associated with CP:

-Bleeding in the brain

-Infection

-Lack of oxygen



Carol

Low Jeremy asked:


Cerebral Palsy, then commonly known as “cerebral paralysis”, was first recognized in 1860 by William Little, a British surgeon. Little increased the possibility that asphyxia during the birth of a child is the main cause of cerebral palsy. But not until 1897, a well known neurologist named Sigmund Freud suggested that difficult birth was not a basis but rather a symptom of some other effects on fetal progress. During the 1980’s, a research conducted by NINDS or National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, suggested also that only some cases of cerebral palsy are caused by asphyxia during child birth.

The word “cerebral” in medical term is for the brain while “palsy” means the disorder of the posture or movement. By the definition, cerebral palsy describes to a group of situation wherein the posture and movement are very affected as a result to the damage done to one or more parts of the brain.

Depending on which part of the brain was damaged, the following conditions may be present although every individual with cerebral palsy is affected in a very different way:

• Coordination and balance problems

• Difficulty in maintaining and controlling of posture (like when a person wants to sit upright, help is required)

• Having an epilepsy (one out of three in children with cerebral palsy have an epilepsy

• Difficulty in talking, drinking, and eating (swallowing)

• Difficulty in learning process

Types of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy disorder can be categorized into four types and these are ataxic, athetoid, spastic, and mixed:

• Ataxic- this type of CP affects to about 5 to 10 percent of most CP patients. Ataxic is characterized by the deficits to the balance and depth sensitivity that results to poor coordination in fine motor tasks.

• Athetoid- a type of CP that affects to about 10 to 20% of most CP patients. Athetoid is characterized by very slow movements. Uncontrollable movements usually occur in hands, arms, legs, and feet. Also, face and tongue muscles can be affected that may result into drooling or grimacing. Affected tongue muscles may also result to difficulty in speaking.

• Spastic- the most common type of CP that accounts to about 70 to 80 percent of all CP patients. Spastic is characterized by the stiffing of limb muscles that can result to permanent contraction.

• Mixed- this type of CP affects to about 30 percent of all CP cases. Symptoms are like to one of the three types stated above. Furthermore, athetoid and spastic forms of CP can coexist.

In general, cerebral palsy is not a progressive type where the brain can’t get any worse. Application of regular and appropriate therapy is provided so as to improve mobility and coordination skills.



Curtis

Danny Burle asked:


Cerebral palsy actually affects so many of us that research continues to find out how to prevent the condition. Since it has no known cure to this date, prevention of the condition during pregnancy is usually stressed. There are, however, several treatments available to keep symptoms at bay. If you’re looking for cerebral palsy definition, there’s a lot more information these days than in previous years. This article will discuss the common questions regarding cerebral palsy.

So what exactly is cerebral palsy? When a child turns 3 years old, he or she is most likely able to coordinate motor movements such as sitting, walking, clapping, talking and smiling. However, if a child at this age is still unable to do those basic movements then he or she has a higher possibility of having cerebral palsy. In short, cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect motor movements and muscle coordination.

To this date no one knows what the exact cause of cerebral palsy is. But there have been several factors found to contribute to the condition. Damage to a certain area or areas of the brain during the developmental stages is said to trigger cerebral palsy. The areas affected are said to be those parts in the brain that control motor movements. The unanswered question is why the damage occurs in the first place.

Here is the basic cerebral palsy definition: “Cerebral” means brain and “palsy” refers to a disorder of posture or movement. The brain keeps on developing from the fetal stage in early pregnancy until the child is around 3 years old. Because cerebral palsy has a lot to do with the developing brain, it can occur before, during or after birth. The condition is not known to affect a child once the development of the brain is complete. For instance, a child who has no signs of cerebral palsy at 5 years of age is unlikely to have cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy definition isn’t limited to just one. There are actually 3 types of cerebral palsy, which are spastic cerebral palsy, Athetoid cerebral palsy and Ataxic cerebral palsy. Spastic cerebral palsy is what triggers stiffness and movement problems. Athetoid cerebral palsy on the other hand causes sluggish involuntary movements, or movements that are uncontrollable. Finally, Ataxic cerebral palsy causes problems in balance and perceiving depth.

So just how many individuals have cerebral palsy? In the United States alone there are almost 800,000 children and adults who experience a symptom or symptoms of cerebral palsy. It is estimated that around 10,000 babies born in the country will have cerebral palsy.

The signs of the condition are a large part of cerebral palsy definition. Early signs that occur before a child turns 3 years of age may show that the child hasn’t developed any motor skills. Cerebral palsy in infants will often trigger a developmental delay. Parents may notice that their child is not reaching developmental stages in which rolling over, crawling, smiling, walking or sitting aren’t being achieved. Other signs include abnormal muscle tone, unusual posture and a difficult pregnancy involving bleeding, fevers and infection.

Many are now aware of the cerebral palsy definition. Although there is still no cure, scientists and researchers have found possible ways to prevent cerebral palsy from developing in the first place. For instance, the administration of immunizations and folate during pregnancy is found to possibly prevent cerebral palsy in the child.



Tina