What is Cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive disorder where a person has difficulties with making and/or controlling their body movements. This difficulty is the result of damage to the growing brain. This damage occurs early in life, including before birth.

The severity of the condition can range from children only experiencing limitation in challenging physical activities (e.g. sports), while other children may have significant challenges performing any voluntary movement (e.g. walking).

What causes cerebral palsy?

CP is caused by damage to the growing brain. This damage or development difference can occur before birth, around the time of birth or in infancy till the age of 2 years.

Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy

The first sign of CP in an infant or child may be a difference or delay in the expected development of movement skills. This is often noticed as a difference in movement between the right and left sides of the body, or being slow to reach the milestones of sitting up, standing and walking independently.

How much of the body is affected

The terms commonly used to describe how much of the body is affected in someone with CP are monoplegia (one limb), hemiplegia (one arm and one leg on the same side of the body), diplegia (both legs), quadriplegia (all four limbs affected).

When to visit an orthopaedician?

While cerebral palsy cannot be cured and is not progressive, living with orthopedic conditions can be limiting and even painful. The goal of treatment is to improve mobility and reduce pain.

One of the most common orthopedic health consequences is muscle contracture caused by overly-toned muscles. This causes them to contract more than is normal, which leads to shortening of the muscles, which affects movement and may cause pain.

Complications associated with cerebral palsy

In some children with CP, movement problems are the only difficulty. In other children however, additional areas of the brain are also damaged, which can cause other brain-related conditions. For example, some children with CP also have intellectual disability, epilepsy, or problems with hearing and/or vision.

Treatment for cerebral palsy

Currently there is no cure for CP. Care for children with CP is aimed at ensuring a good quality of life.

Physical therapy is the mainstay of treatment helping prevent contracture by stretching muscles and improving the range of motion.

Botulinum toxin-A is another treatment strategy for very tight muscles. This drug is injected into a spastic muscle to allow it to stretch and relax. The effects last for a few months, and the injection is typically used along with physical therapy.

When these treatments don’t help, a child may have orthopaedic surgery to release tendons. This allows the muscles to stretch more. Sometimes child requires bony surgeries for his spinal deformity (Scoliosis), hip dysplasias, lower limb torsional and foot deformities.

Sometimes child also needs surgery for his upper limbs like muscle lengthening, tendon transfers and fusion of joints to improve his activities of daily living. But it is very important for the child to be under the constant care of a rehabilitation team. This is ensured by a team of dedicated specialists, including doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers and specialised educators. This management begins as soon as your child is diagnosed.