Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy literally means paralysis of the cerebral portion of the brain. The dormancy or paralysis of the cerebrum can lead to either partial or complete paralysis of muscles. This brain damage could be congenital or occur much later in life, causing a motor deficiency. We have years of medical experience in dealing with patients with Cerebral Palsy and giving them the required treatment. Let’s understand this medical condition in detail.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
There are three types of Cerebral Palsy. They are-
- Spastic Cerebral Palsy: This is a common form of Cerebral Palsy which makes the muscles stiff. The child’s movement becomes very stiff and jerky as incorrect messages are sent from the damaged part of the brain. Damaged neurons in the spine and brain cause spasticity.
- Athetoid Cerebral Palsy: This type of Cerebral Palsy occurs due to damage to specific parts of the brain, namely the Ganglia and Cerebellum. This causes various conditions, such as
- Athetosis or slow movement of face and fingers,
- Dystonia or slow and rotating movements of arms, legs and torso,
- Chorea or sudden spasms in legs and fingers,
- Rigidity or restricted movement, and
- Dyskinesia or external involuntary movements
3. Ataxic Cerebral Palsy (CP): This is a rare form of Cerebral Palsy where the cerebellum damage causes coordinative and rotary motor deficiency. This causes awkward or clumsy voluntary movements.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Even though the Cerebral Palsy is not yet fully understood by the medical professionals, there are a few identifiable causes, as follows:
- Brain injury or malformation at the time of birth, during pregnancy and after birth
- Maternal infection that could impact the brain development of a child
- Medical malpractice, such as surgical mishap or instrumental impact on the child at the time of delivery
- Wrong medication during pregnancy leads to brain damage in the child
- Oxygen deprivation for too long
- A lengthy labour lasting 18 hours or more
Symptoms
The following are certain symptoms noticeable:
- Muscle Tone Problems: Difficulty in performing simple tasks due to lack of muscle control. These tasks include sitting, standing, or even holding and grasping objects.
- Abnormal Reflex problems: Cases could be that a patient may have abnormalities such as persistent Asymmetric tonic neck reflex (Sidewise movement of the head causing the limbs along the direction of the head movement to extend and the limbs on the opposite side to flex), persistent symmetrical tonic reflex (Extension of hips and flexing of limbs when a child’s neck extends or flexes), persistent palmer grasp reflex (Baby’s hand closes when its palm is stimulated) and persistent spinal gallant reflexes (Child turns the side it is touched at, on the sides of its spine) even after the normal period of these reflexes are passed, under normal circumstances.
- Lack of coordination & control: Uncontrolled and un-coordinated movements of patients such as spastic movements, draggy walking- particularly of one leg, taking short and clumsy steps while walking, wide-gaited walking, walking with crisscrossed toes or toes pointing inwards or outwards.
- Communication-related motor issues: Spastic facial movements may create difficulty while speaking. This may affect breathing and movement of the mouth to open, close or swallow.
Tests to Confirm Cerebral Palsy
Our patients undergo a combination of tests recommended by the brain doctors at Omni, some of which are as below:
- Blood tests
- Cranium Ultrasound to examine the affected brain tissue
- MRI to check the density and resonance of the affected brain tissue
- CT scan to check the brain in depth
- Observations and assessment of cognitive abilities
- Mobility tests to check the motor abilities of the child
Why Choose Omni for Treatment of Cerebral Palsy?
There is no complete cure for Cerebral Palsy. However, a child could be made more comfortable & can have a qualitative life with the right treatment and care provided by the top doctors at Omni for physical rehab near me. Some motor issues can be addressed effectively through physiotherapy performed by our highly experienced physiotherapists. Some spastic movements could be curbed through orthopaedic surgery.
Effective medical treatments we include to control certain disabilities caused by Cerebral Palsy may include:
- Administering anti-spastic medicines
- Prescribing antidepressants
- Prescribing anti-inflammatory medicines and drugs
- Prescribing Stool softening medicines
- Administering anticonvulsant medicines
You can trust the Omni, the best women & children’s hospital, to provide world-class healthcare services.
FAQs
Q1. Is there prevention for Cerebral Palsy?
Though the cause of Cerebral Palsy is not always determinable, it can be prevented by accidental causes such as proper handling of surgical instruments during childbirth, taking proper pre-pregnancy care such as consuming nutritious food, shunning alcohol and drugs, taking proper vaccination and so on. These may help prevent Cerebral Palsy at birth.
Q2. Are there any associated conditions of Cerebral Palsy?
It may not always happen that every child with Cerebral Palsy is affected by secondary disorders. Certain other conditions could include hearing impairment, vision problems, behavioural or emotional problems, Autism, insomnia, seizures, excess sleeping, cognitive disabilities, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Q3. Can Cerebral Palsy cause death?
Though Cerebral Palsy is not a fatal disorder, certain secondary conditions such as chronic seizures, swallowing difficulties causing acute malnutrition and life-threatening infections could lead to death if not addressed well in time.
