Causes, symptoms, treatment, and living with cerebral palsy

 Causes, symptoms, treatment, and living with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders and diseases that affect the nervous system and affect the functions of brain cells as well, so that there is a change and impairment in brain functions.

Many parents are concerned about their children's cerebral palsy worsening, and it is important to note that the damage to brain cells is constant, that is, it does not worsen during or after birth, and it does not worsen with the child's age. Cerebral palsy can be simple and difficult to observe and distinguish from the average person, and it can be moderate or severe with negative outcomes.

Cerebral palsy usually affects children from birth, and symptoms may appear at the age of 2–3 years, such as learning disabilities, problems with vision, speech, hearing, and other senses, disruptions in reflexes, or stiffness in the limbs or trunk.

Many people can cope with cerebral palsy and lead a normal or semi-normal life, but physical therapy and rehabilitation should continue, and they should receive support and encouragement from those around them.

Types of cerebral palsy in children

There are many types of cerebral palsy in children, which are classified according to symptoms and the size of the paralysis:

• Spastic cerebral palsy is characterised by the occurrence of nervous convulsions.
• Implicit paralysis is characterised by a significant impairment in body movement and control.
• Mixed paralysis: It is one of the very advanced stages.

Causes of cerebral palsy

The causes of cerebral palsy may not be known and clear, but there are some factors that increase the risk of developing the disease, such as:

• The occurrence of genetic mutations or genetic disorders in the baby as it develops in the mother's womb
• During pregnancy, the mother has a viral infection such as rubella, toxoplasmosis, or feline coxomycosis.
• Infants are suffering from severe jaundice.
• cerebral haemorrhage in a child that may result from a specific injury.
• The mother's blood type does not match that of her child, and there is a difference in the Rh factor, which leads to the formation of antibodies that damage the child's brain cells.
• Lack of blood oxygen to the baby's brain cells during birth leads to the clinical death of brain cells.
• Your child has a viral infection, such as meningitis or viral encephalitis.
• Home birth, use of forceps during childbirth, suction of the baby, or delayed exit of the baby's head during delivery
• Having overweight babies or being born weighing less than 2.5 grammes may increase the risk of cerebral palsy.
• Premature birth (less than 37 weeks of pregnancy)

Pregnant women suffer from severe bleeding or increased protein in the urine late in pregnancy, as they have a greater chance of having a baby with cerebral palsy, as well as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, mental retardation, or convulsions during pregnancy.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy

The appearance of cerebral palsy symptoms depends on the progression of the disease and the number of damaged brain cells; paralysis may affect the entire body or be limited to one side of the body; and typically, the symptoms of cerebral palsy in infants do not appear clearly until one to three years after the child's development, including:

• atrophy of some limb muscles, or difficulty moving them.
• Muscle pain and stiffness in the joints
• problems with tooth growth and gum infections.
• Abnormal walking.
• Slow natural growth
• Irregular breathing.
• Incontinence.
• frequent infections of the respiratory system.
• Excessive drooling.
• tremors, or involuntary movements.
• delayed speech development or difficulty speaking.

It's worth noting that as a child gets older, some symptoms may become less or more pronounced, such as short or stiff muscles.

How is cerebral palsy diagnosed?

Cerebral palsy can be diagnosed by:

• Clinical examination of the child to observe symptoms
• laboratory analysis of the blood sample to rule out any other imbalances or bacterial infections.
• Radiography of the brain CT brain.
• Magnetic resonance radiography of the brain
• Neuroencephalography.
• examination of mental ability after the age of the sufferer
• Hearing test.
• Eye examination.

Treatment of cerebral palsy

Parents have a pivotal role, which is to abide by the rules of raising people with special needs and give them a lot of kindness and tenderness and to continue with physical and rehabilitation therapy that helps the child live his life normally, and they should not distinguish between them and their peers so that the patient does not feel lacking.

Cerebral palsy can be treated and its symptoms reduced by:

• Functional rehabilitation therapies through which the child's self-reliance is strengthened to participate in daily activities at home, school, and society in general
• Physical therapy for cerebral palsy Exercise helps strengthen muscles and improve motor development and balance, which helps the child meet his daily needs such as eating alone or bathing.
•   ent of speech difficulties: The speech therapist helps improve the child's ability to speak clearly or use sign language, and they can also treat eating and swallowing difficulties.
• some drug treatments to control convulsions if they occur, such as phenytoin, valproic acid, or phenobarbital.
• Perform neurosurgical intervention to relieve muscle spasm or correct bone deformities.
• Placing feeding tubes in patients who are unable to eat normally.
• Dispensing some therapeutic painkillers to relieve pain symptoms
• Strengthen and support muscles; you can put pillows between the legs and swim.
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Children benefit from recreational activities such as horse riding, as it helps improve the child's motor abilities and improves mental health.

Tips for living with cerebral palsy

Many individuals were able to live with cerebral palsy, overcome the difficulties they faced in developing movement, speech, and hearing, and practise daily activities.

Affected children and adults need ongoing care, as when a child is diagnosed with a medical condition that may lead to a disability, the family faces many challenges that can be overcome, and here are some tips for caring for the affected individual:

• Providing psychological support and normal coexistence with the community
• Attention to the cleanliness of the injured and observance of public safety rules
• Providing suitable facilities for the injured and securing their needs for corsets, medical chairs, and training and rehabilitation halls
• attention to the quality of the patient's food.
• Periodically visit the doctor to do the necessary medical tests.
• See the dentist periodically.

Perform exercises recommended by health care providers to maintain normal body movements as much as possible.

complications of cerebral palsy

Complications that can occur as a result of cerebral palsy include:

• The occurrence of convulsive seizures
• Infections with bacteria are common.
• The occurrence of psychological disorders for the injured person and his family
• inability to move the limbs and may be accompanied by complete paralysis.
• Osteoporosis or osteoporosis
• Intestinal obstruction.
• dislocation of the hip and joints, especially in the hip area.
• injuries caused by falls.
• Pneumonia is caused by suffocation.
• Malnutrition.

What is the course of cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy in children does not worsen or develop for the worse, although it is an irreversible disease. Long-term care is necessary when there is cerebral palsy in children, and physical therapy for cerebral palsy helps to enhance the child's strength, flexibility, and motor balance, enabling him to practise daily activities.Treatm