The Symptoms and Causes of Cerebral Palsy

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move, maintain balance, and maintain posture. CP is the most common movement disorder in childhood-cerebral means related to the brain. Paralysis means muscle weakness or problems using muscles. Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain, affecting the person's ability to control muscles.

 

The symptoms of CP vary from person to person. People with severe CP may need special equipment to walk or may not be able to walk at all and may need lifelong care. On the other hand, people with mild CP may walk a little awkwardly but may not need any special help. CP does not worsen over time, but the exact symptoms can change throughout a person's life.

 

All people with CP have problems with movement and posture. Many also have associated conditions such as mental retardation, seizures, vision, hearing, or speech problems, spinal changes (such as scoliosis), or joint problems (such as contractures).

 

Symptoms

The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary widely. In some people, cerebral palsy affects the whole body. Others may have symptoms that affect only one or two limbs or one side of the body. General symptoms include movement and coordination, speech and eating, developmental problems, and others.

 

Movement and coordination

·Muscle stiffness and hyperreflexia, or spasticity. This is the most common motor symptom of cerebral palsy.

·Changes in muscle tone, such as being too stiff or too loose.

·Muscle stiffness but normal reflexes, called rigidity.

·Lack of balance and muscle coordination is called ataxia.

·Uncontrollable jerking movements are called tremors.

·Slow, writhing movements.

·Favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with only one hand or dragging one leg while crawling.

·Difficulty walking. People with cerebral palsy may walk on their toes or crouch when walking. They may also walk like scissors with their knees crossed. They may also have a wide gait or walk unsteadily.

·Problems with fine motor skills, such as buttoning clothes or picking up utensils.

 

Speech and eating

·Delays in speech development

·Trouble speaking

·Trouble with sucking, chewing, or eating

·Drooling or trouble swallowing

 

Main causes

Cerebral palsy is caused by a problem with the brain that happens before, during, or soon after birth. The brain can either be damaged or not develop normally, although the exact cause is not always clear.

 

Before birth

·Damage to parts of the white matter of the brain, which may be caused by a reduced blood or oxygen supply, is known as periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Learn more about periventricular leukomalacia from Scope.

·Infections during pregnancy, such as cytomegalovirus, rubella (German measles), chickenpox, or toxoplasmosis

·Stroke: bleeding in the fetal brain or cutting off the blood supply to the brain

·Head injury to the fetus

 

At birth/ after birth

·Temporary lack of oxygen to the brain during a difficult birth (asphyxia)

·A brain infection, such as meningitis

·A severe head injury

·Suffocation or near-drowning, which deprives the brain of oxygen

·Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

·Stroke

 

Increased risk

 

·Premature birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy): babies born at 32 weeks of pregnancy or earlier are at particularly high risk of developing this condition.

·Having a low birth weight

·Being part of a multiple birth, such as twins or triplets

·The mother smoked, drank a lot of alcohol, or took drugs such as cocaine during pregnancy

 

Treatment for Cerebral Palsy

The main treatments for cerebral palsy are medications, therapy, and surgery. The goal of cerebral palsy treatment is to control symptoms, relieve pain, and maximize independence for a long and healthy life. Cerebral palsy treatment is tailored to each person's specific symptoms.

When a child begins physical therapy, the physical therapist will first assess their motor skills and overall mobility to determine the best treatment plan. The physical therapist then develops a treatment plan based on the child's needs, which includes strength training, stretching, and muscle relaxation techniques.

Exercise equipment used during physical therapy includes weights, resistance bands, balance balls, and machines that improve muscle tone. Hot and cold packs are often used to help relax and heal muscles.

The goal of the physical therapist is to treat symptoms as quickly as possible to avoid painful future complications such as scoliosis and contractures (shortening of tendons and muscles common in spastic cerebral palsy). Strength training is helpful for children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy who have muscle relaxation and hypotonia.

 

Syrebo hand rehabilitation glove for kids

Syrebo has rehabilitation gloves specially designed for children with cerebral palsy to recover hand function.

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