healthsection Health Topics A-Z Healthy Living Featured Conditions eHow Now eHow Health Conditions & Treatments Disabilities Treatment for Cerebral Palsy Contributing Writer Social Work Cerebral palsy is a disorder rooted in damage to the cerebrum that results in various degrees of poor muscle tone and control. Physical, occupational and speech therapy are used to enhance individual functioning and quality of life. Additionally, medications, adaptive equipment and surgeries may be used as a treatment option depending on the severity of the cerebral palsy and each person's individual needs. Cerebral palsy is a life-long disorder caused by damage to the brain's cerebrum incurred before birth or during the first years of life. This damage can happen through infections both before and after birth, brain injury received during the birthing process, or a traumatic brain injury in an infant or very young child. People with cerebral palsy experience various degrees of irregular muscle tone and lack of muscular control due to the area of the brain that is damaged and may have various other physical and developmental delays associated with the disorder. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form of the disorder, characterized by hypertonia, or tightness in muscles. All or part … Continue reading →

Cerebral palsy is incurable, but there are therapies available that can make life easier and more productive. There is no cerebral palsy therapy that works on every patient. Each case is unique and therefore will require different types of cerebral palsy treatment, from physical therapy to exercise to BOTOX injections. A physician must work together with a team of health care professionals to determine the proper course of cerebral palsy treatment. The cerebral palsy treatment team should be composed of health care experts from various backgrounds. Members should include the following health care professionals: The aim of physical therapy is three-fold. First, the therapist seeks to avoid muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy is the deterioration of muscular tissue from lack of use. The second goal is too avoid muscle contracture. Contracture occurs when muscles become frozen in an abnormal position. Third, a therapist will seek to improve the motor skills of a cerebral palsy patient. The physical therapy will include a cerebral palsy exercise program designed to improve the child's condition. This type of therapy utilizes psychological techniques to improve physical, mental, and communicative skills. The activities used vary greatly according to age and disability. Some will be used to discourage … Continue reading →

Children with cerebral palsy have problems with muscle tone, affecting their ability to keep their balance, posture, and to walk and move. Unlike other medical conditions that can affect a child's ability to move or walk, with cerebral palsy, the problem isn't in the child's muscles or nerves. Instead, damage to the child's brain affects his ability to control his muscles. Some common causes of cerebral palsy include: Prematurity, while it does not cause cerebral palsy, is sometimes associated with the condition, as premature babies are often at risk for many of the problems that do. Keep in mind that most experts now believe that very few cases of cerebral palsy are actually caused by a lack of oxygen during labor and delivery. Cerebral palsy symptoms that you may notice, and that you should look for if you are concerned that your baby may have cerebral palsy, include: Cerebral palsy symptoms don't worsen with age, but symptoms can range from mild to severe. For example, a child with very mild cerebral palsy may just have problems running, while another with more severe symptoms may need a wheelchair. Children with cerebral palsy can also have feeding problems, mental retardation, seizures, learning … Continue reading →

Following your childs interdisciplinary assessment, the professionals providing care for your child will develop recommendations for treatment and therapy of his or her Cerebral Palsy. Many treatments are available to help a child function at the highest level possible. Although many treatments for Cerebral Palsy are available, we will touch upon a few of the most basic approaches used today to help children achieve their optimal level of functioning. Since no two children are affected by Cerebral Palsy in exactly the same way, individual treatment and therapy programs vary widely. But because all children with Cerebral Palsy have movement problems, you can expect that an important component of your childs Cerebral Palsy treatment will be a therapeutic exercise program. Depending on your childs needs, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a speech-language pathologist will work with your child to help him or her improve posture and movement. At first, your child will likely see his or her therapist quite often, sometimes at least twice a week. As your child grows, he or she may need a less intensive therapy program. The therapists will probably expect you to work on the childs movement skills at home, and will train you … Continue reading →

What is the Treatment for Cerebral Palsy? Although the brain injury that causes cerebral palsy cannot be healed, the resulting physical impairment can be managed with a wide range of treatments and therapies. Each childs impairment is unique and therefore no universal treatment for cerebral palsy exists. Instead, individuals with cerebral palsy are independently assessed and treated for their unique needs. While therapy and adaptive equipment are the primary treatment for cerebral palsy, a child may also require drug therapy and surgical interventions. Some families, with caution and physician guidance, turn to complementary and alternative medicine for additional assistance. Although each medical specialist may have specific care goals related to their specialty, the overriding treatment goal for those with cerebral palsy is to: Common conventional methods of treatment, complementary and alternative methods of treatment, and a comprehensive treatment plan process are detailed below: Need more information on the treatment of cerebral palsy? Call 800-692-4453. Request MyChild Kit No. 325 Introduction to the Treatment of Cerebral Palsy The childs physical impairment is considered his or her primary condition. The primary physical impairment may involve challenges with muscle tone, reflexes, posture, balance, fine motor functioning, gross motor functioning and oral motor functioning. … Continue reading →