Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common muscle and nerve diseases in children. It is a disease that causes damage to the child’s brain before, during or after birth and causes different disability symptoms. Depending on which part of the brain the damage occurs, the child may experience mental retardation, speech difficulties, and movement disorders. Children with Cerebral Palsy often develop spasticity problems.
Spasticity is the increase in arm and leg muscle tone. So the muscles become much harder than normal. This leads to restriction of movements.
Cerebral palsy is seen in an average of four out of every 1000 children in our country. This means that 4,800 children are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy every year…
Symptoms
– Difficulty/disorder in sucking, constant crying, seizure disorder, sleep problems in children aged 0-2 months
– The fingers of 3-4 month old children do not open and remain in a fist, the body is motionless or there is imbalance in movements
– Crooked legs, tiptoeing in 8-month-old children
– Children aged 10 months and above do not crawl, do not stand up, do not respond to sounds and visuals
As the child grows, symptoms may differ: vision problems, breathing problems, dental diseases, toilet control, inability to chew or swallow the food given.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of cerebral palsy is made by a child neurologist. Physical examination and patient history are sufficient for a definitive diagnosis.
Types
Diparesis: Occurs only in the legs.
Hemiparesis: Occurs in one half of the body.
Tetraparesis: It occurs in the arms and legs.
Athetoid: There are curling movements at the ends of the arms and legs.
Dystonic: It usually occurs in the upper arms and legs. Contractions occur like a bending pipe.
Ataxia: It is the inability of the child to maintain balance and coordinate his/her body while walking.
Hypotonia: There is relaxation in the body, not contraction.
Why Does It Occur?
Some situations before, during or after birth can cause cerebral palsy.
Prenatal: Infection, unconscious drug use, radiation exposure, bleeding.
Time of Birth: Multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets), low birth weight, early or difficult pregnancy.
Postpartum: The baby gets hit on the head, has an infection, brain hemorrhage, jaundice, seizures.
Treatment
It is not possible to completely cure a child with Cerebral Palsy. However, with the treatment options we have, we can achieve significant improvements in the right patients. Thus, the child can move better and continue his life without being dependent on anyone else in his future life.
TREATMENT
Physical Therapy: It is aimed to reduce contraction and increase mobility.
Surgery: In brain surgery, there are different surgeries that we can perform on children with cerebral palsy: Selective Neurotomy, Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, Deep Brain Stimulation. Problems may occur in the child’s joints due to Cerebral Palsy. In this case, orthopedic surgeries (such as hip dislocation, ankle) may be required.
Medication: Medicine can be taken orally or intravenously to reduce spasticity in the muscles.
Cerebral palsy is a very complex disease. Therefore, the most appropriate treatment is decided after different specialists see the patient and give their opinions. Neurosurgeon, orthopedist, child neurologist, physical therapist evaluate the patient and decide on the most appropriate treatment option.
