Cerebral palsy – Treatment – NHS Choices

Treating cerebral palsy

There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but a range of treatments are available to help treat many of the symptoms.

Treatment for cerebral palsy will usually involve a team of health professionals with different areas of expertise.The team may include:

The care team will help draw up an individual care plan to address any needs or problems your child has. The plan will be continually reassessed as your child gets older and their needs change.

You and your child will also be assigned a key worker, who will be the first point of contact between you and the various support services available. When your child is young, the key worker is likely to be a health visitor. As your child gets older and their needs become more complex, the key worker is likely to be a social worker.

There is no single treatment plan for a child with cerebral palsy. Instead, there are a wide range of treatments available, which are designed to improve your child's symptoms and let them be as independent as possible. Some of the main treatments are outlined below.

Physiotherapyis normally started when your child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. It is one of the most important ways of helping your child manage their condition.

The two main goalsof physiotherapy are:

There is a risk of contracture in children who have problems stretching their muscles as a result of muscle stiffness. If the muscles cannot stretch, they do not grow as fast as the bones. This can lead to deformities, causing your child pain and discomfort.

A physiotherapist will teach your child a number of physical exercises to strengthen and stretch their muscles, which they can carry out every day. Special arm or leg braces (orthoses) may also be used to help stretch their muscles and improve their posture.

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Cerebral palsy - Treatment - NHS Choices