What are the Treatment Options Available for Kids with Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy can be related to brain paralysis. This is a particular condition that refers to the malfunctioning of body movement that greatly affects the overall balance of the body, posture, as well as the general function of the nervous system especially for serious cases. There are lots causes attributed cerebral palsy which include but not limited to damage to a particular part of the brain or abnormal development during pregnancy. Cerebral palsy can be detected during the early stage of childhood particularly when the stage of development of the infant is significantly slowed down.

Symptoms related to cerebral palsy include uncontrolled movements, muscle stiffness, deficient muscle tone, and experiencing problems with regards to balance, motor coordination and balance, control of speech, seizures, and mental retardation. Children with cerebral palsy also have difficulties in learning. Cerebral palsy can also be subdivided into several categories which include spastic and dyskinetic (pyramidal and extrapyramidal) or both. The symptoms for spastic cerebral palsy include muscle stiffens and having erratic and awkward movements. The dyskinetic cerebral palsy on the other hand can either be athetoid or ataxic which also include coordination of movements.

And while there is no known cure for severe cases of cerebral palsy, there are other treatment options that can help patients with cerebral palsy particularly the kids to live better, more comfortable, and almost normal lives. The treatments known for children with cerebral palsy include physical therapy, behavioral therapy, speech and language pathology, physical surgery and drug therapy, as well as using some mechanical aids. More often than not, children with cerebral palsy are subjected to a comprehensive physical therapy program which is aimed to help them develop much stronger muscles to aid them as they grow to be able to learn how to control their movements and other basic functions like walking, sitting, and maintaining their balance.

The occupational therapy on the other hand is focused on developing the children’s fine motor skills so they can be able to survive even with cerebral palsy. These include training them to how dress and feed themselves, how to write, and how to perform other basic tasks. To help develop the communication skills of children with cerebral palsy, the speech – language therapy can provide extensive assistance since most children suffering from cerebral palsy have problem controlling their tongue muscles that can cause speech problems.

These particular therapies for helping children with cerebral palsy often use assistive technology such as sophisticated communication devices and an advanced computer technology for the medical sector. Depending on the type of therapy chosen, the training program will be based on the actual needs of the patient as well as the type of cerebral palsy he or she has. But regardless of the type of therapy, these treatments are often effective in helping children with cerebral palsy to live a much better life while reducing dependency on the people around them. These types of treatments often take some time before a significant effect can be seen and in order for these treatments to really take its effect, the support of family, relatives, and friends are greatly needed.