Cerebral palsy in children

Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement and posture. This is caused by damage of non progressive type to the brain when it was developing. Though the damage caused to the brain does not progress, the symptoms of the disorder progress. This is because the damage appears more as the brain matures.

The affected children in addition to the disorders of posture and movement will have other problems also. Nearly sixty percent of the children will have learning difficulties. Nearly twenty percent of the children will have hearing problems. Twenty percent of the children will have visual problems. Thirty percent of the children will have squint eye. Forty percent of the children will have epilepsy.

The causes for cerebral palsy in children

The major cause is the damage to the brain when the baby was growing [late pregnancy]. The antenatal causes like brain malformation, infection caused by rubella, toxoplasmosis etc, contribute to 80 percent cases.

The problems at the time of delivery like birth trauma, inadequate oxygen supply to the brain are the causes for cerebral palsy in less than 10 percent cases. The other ten percent cases are resulting from reasons like head injury, jaundice, hydrocephalous etc arising after the birth of the baby.

Symptoms of the child with cerebral palsy

The symptoms vary and are related to the type of cerebral palsy. In spastic cerebral palsy the limbs are very stiff and are drawn in. in voluntary writhing movements are seen in dyskinetic cerebral palsy.

In- coordination of the mouth muscles, epilepsy, slow feeding, vomiting, weakness of the limb, and paralysis of the limb are the other symptoms that can be noticed.

Diagnosis and treatment of child with cerebral palsy

The child with any kind of the above mentioned symptoms need to be taken to the doctor. The doctor will confirm the disease after subjecting the child to various tests including brain scan.

The cerebral palsy can never be cured. Medicines are given only to mitigate the symptoms. Surgery can be done to correct certain problems like muscle spasms. You need to provide continuous health care to the child as they grow in order to help them as much as possible. The child with mild cerebral palsy can lead a longer life.

Prevention of cerebral palsy in children

As you know for sure that this disease cannot be cured, the only possibility is preventing it from occurring. You need to take care of the mothers in late pregnancy well.

The food that is provided to the pregnant mother should be nutritious. You need to immunize the pregnant mother against infections like rubella .the mother should be advised to keep away from smoking, drinking etc.

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