Occurences/ Causes
Treatment
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of disorders affecting body movement and muscle coordination. The medical definition of CP is "a non-progressive but not unchanging disorder of movement and/or posture, due to an insult or anomaly of the developing brain."
Visualization of baby`s brain development process Skin (pink), brain surface (white) and myelination process (green and red) brain surface (white) and myelination process (green and red)
Development
of the brain starts in early pregnancy and continues until about age three.
Damage to the brain during this time may result in CP. This damage
interferes with messages from the brain to the body, and from the body to
the brain.
The
effects of CP vary widely from individual to individual. At its mildest, CP
may result in a slight awkwardness of movement or hand control. At its most
severe, CP may result in virtually no muscle control, profoundly affecting
movement and speech.
It is very important, that physical therapy begins in the first few years of life, soon after the diagnosis is made. Physical therapy programs work toward two important goals: preventing the weakening or deterioration of muscles that can follow lack of use (called disuse atrophy) and avoiding contracture, in which muscles become fixed in a rigid, abnormal position.
Contracture
is one of the most common and serious complications of cerebral palsy.
Normally, a child whose bones are growing stretches the body's muscles and
tendons through running and walking and other daily activities. This ensures
that muscles will grow at the same rate. But in children with cerebral
palsy, spasticity prevents this stretching and, as a result, muscles do not
grow fast enough to keep up with lengthening bones. The resulting
contracture can disrupt balance and trigger loss of previous abilities.
Physical therapy works to prevent this complication by stretching spastic
muscles. For example, if a child has spastic hamstrings (tendons located
behind the knee), the therapist and parents should encourage the child to
sit with the legs extended to stretch them.
The
goal of neuro therapy is to improve the child's motor development. All these
goals of physical and neuro therapy are united successfully in the
instrument GIGER MDâ
medical device. Studies have documented its very high value.
Last update: September 27, 2007