Managing cerebral palsy in children: A doctor explains

by Glenn Maxwell

The most common treatment for cerebral palsy is physiotherapy, which helps the child achieve their milestones and prevents complications such as contractures and deformity in later life.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of conditions that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain posture and balance. It is the most common form of movement disability in children. CP can occur due to genetic causes or due to damage to the brain in the first two years of life. Premature babies with low birth weight, brain infections (meningoencephalitis), lack of oxygen to the brain during childbirth, and untreated jaundice in the newborn period and near-drowning are other common causes of CP. In addition to walking difficulties, children with CP frequently have speech delay, seizures (epilepsy), swallowing problems, visual impairment and difficulty in learning.

The management of cerebral palsy is best undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. This improves the quality of decision-making, and reduces the overall cost and effort of providing care to the child and family. Specialists from a variety of fields have to work closely to provide optimum care to a child with CP.

An accurate diagnosis of CP is important and should be done by a paediatric neurologist. The most common treatment for CP is physiotherapy, which helps the child achieve their milestones, prevents complications such as contractures and deformity in later life. Splints (braces or special shoes) are used to support the legs when the child is learning to walk. Control of seizures and muscle tightness (spasticity) is achieved mainly through medication. In some situations, medicines are injected into tight muscle groups to relieve spasticity and casts applied to stretch the muscle gently.

Many children with CP will benefit from an intervention called Gait Improvement Surgery, typically after the age of 7, once natural brain maturation has been completed. Children with CP can also develop deformities of the feet and legs, dislocation of the hip joint, scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and difficulty in hand function. Therefore, regular follow-up with a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon is important for the early identification of these issues and appropriate management. We aim to complete any corrective surgery before the age of 12 so that the child’s education is not disrupted during the secondary school years.

Pragati, our state-of-the-art facility located at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Marathahalli, Bengaluru, provides all the services required for children with cerebral palsy, autism and disabilities under one roof. This includes multi-dimensional physiotherapy such as gross motor, fine motor and virtual reality rehabilitation, occupational therapy, Sensory Integration (SI), speech therapy and paediatric psychology services in an integrated manner.

Our therapy centre is supported by an experienced team of specialists in the field of Paediatric Orthopaedics, Paediatric Neurology, Clinical Genetics and Child development. We have an orthotics workshop that fabricates custom-made splints and braces.

Walking problems in CP are complex and it can be difficult to decide the correct surgical plan. For such cases, we use the 3D Gait Analysis Lab that provides accurate information about the child’s walking pattern at every level from the trunk to the foot. The motion capture equipment in the gait lab is similar to the technology used by Hollywood for CGI and special effects. This data improves the decision-making regarding surgery and eventual surgical outcomes are much better when 3D gait analysis is used as part of the assessment process.

The government has a medical insurance plan called the Niramaya scheme under The National Trust for children with cerebral palsy, autism and multiple disabilities, which provides reimbursement of health-related expenses to the family of up to Rs 1 lakh per year. We also encourage parents to obtain a disability certificate from the state government as this will assist the family to obtain various concessions and access to government schemes meant for persons with disability.

Children with cerebral palsy can expect to lead a fairly normal life as fully functioning members of society. Providing the correct treatment at the right time during the childhood years is essential for a successful result.

Start Spin

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a small grouping of problems that have an impact on a person’s capability to shift and look after stability and position. This is basically the most typical type of movements incapacity in kids. CP can occur on account of hereditary brings about or on account of damage to your brain within the first two years of lifestyle. Premature babies with reduced arrival body weight, brain bacterial infections (meningoencephalitis), absence of o2 for the head during giving birth, and with no treatment jaundice within the newborn baby period of time and near-drowning are also frequent reasons behind CP. Along with strolling troubles, children with CP regularly have dialog wait, convulsions (epilepsy), taking troubles, graphic issues and impairment in mastering.

The treatments for cerebral palsy is better carried out from a multiple-disciplinary staff of professionals. This boosts the grade of determination-generating, and reduces the general charge and energy of delivering treatment towards the household and little one. Gurus from a number of areas ought to operate directly to provide maximum proper care into a little one with CP.

An accurate proper diagnosis of CP is essential and should be done by a paediatric neurologist. The most typical treatment for CP is physiotherapy, which helps the kid attain their milestones, inhibits complications like contractures and deformity in afterwards lifestyle. Splints (braces or specific boots) are used to keep the thighs once the youngster is understanding how to walk. Control over muscles and convulsions tightness (spasticity) is obtained primarily via prescription medication. In certain situations, prescription drugs are injected into limited muscle tissues in order to alleviate spasticity and casts used on stretch muscle carefully.

A lot of youngsters with CP will manage to benefit from an involvement known as Gait Advancement Surgical procedures, normally after age of 7, after normal head maturation has been finished. Kids with CP can also develop deformities from the ft . and hip and legs, dislocation of your stylish joint, scoliosis (curvature of your back) and issues in hand operate. As a result, standard comply with-up with a paediatric orthopaedic physician is essential for the early recognition of these issues and suitable control. Well before age of 12 to ensure the child’s training will not be cut off in the additional school several years, we attempt to comprehensive any remedial surgery.

Pragati, our condition-of-the-artwork facility located at Rainbow Children’s Hospital,Marathahalli and Bengaluru, offers each of the providers required for children with cerebral palsy, impairments and autism less than 1 roofing. This consists of multiple-dimensional physiotherapy for example gross motor unit, fine motor unit and internet actuality recovery, occupational therapy, Sensory Integration (SI), conversation therapy and paediatric psychology solutions in an integrated way.

Our treatment method heart is supported by a skilled crew of professionals in the area of Paediatric Orthopaedics, Paediatric Neurology, Specialized medical Family genes and Little one growth. We now have an orthotics workshop that fabricates personalized-manufactured braces and splints.

Walking troubles in CP are sophisticated and it can be hard to make a decision the correct medical strategy. For such cases, we make use of the 3D Gait Analysis Laboratory which offers exact information about the child’s strolling routine at each stage in the trunk for the feet. The movement record devices in the gait laboratory is comparable to the technological innovation utilized by Hollywood for CGI and special effects. This info enhances the selection-producing about surgical procedures and ultimate surgery effects are generally greater when 3 dimensional gait examination can be used included in the examination process.

Government entities features a health care insurance strategy known as the Niramaya structure underneath the Nationwide Have confidence in for kids with cerebral autism, a number of and palsy impairments, which supplies compensation of health-associated expenditures for the family members of up to Rs 1 lakh each year. We inspire parents to have a impairment certification from your express federal government as this can assist the family unit to obtain different concessions and gain access to to govt techniques designed for persons with impairment.

Youngsters with cerebral palsy should expect to lead a fairly typical existence as entirely functioning individuals culture. Supplying the proper treatment method in the right time through the child years years is important for a successful end result.

Related Posts

Adblock Detected

Please support us by disabling your AdBlocker extension from your browsers for our website.