Brainpalsy.com - Helping Parents Combat Cerebral Palsy

Half a million members of the population in United States are suffering from one form of cerebral palsy to another. This is a wide spreading congenital disorder experienced by both children and adults. It is a disorder that hinders the ability of a person to move in a coordinated and determined way.

Infant cerebral palsy takes place even prior to the childs birth or during the first three or five years of his life. This is a crucial stage in the life of a child because the disorder can lead to the impairment of hearing, vision, speech and learning disabilities.

The causes and treatments of cerebral palsy in infant are not definite. Although there are alternative cures such a therapy and surgeries available. These kinds of special treatments can help them alleviate the aggravating experience of a child with his living condition.

Cerebral palsy in infants can be diagnosed through the help of pediatricians and neurological specialists. They usually keep track of the lives of the child from birth up to a particular stage. Finding out that there is a developmental delay in the muscle function of a child, can be a great manifestation of cerebral palsy.

Other implications of cerebral palsy on a child are abnormal muscle tone, poor coordinated movement and persistent infant reflexes beyond a certain age. If you have also observed that your child has a difficulty in reaching for his or her toys at four to seven months after birth, then it is better to send the infant to a doctor for a series of tests.

Since the real cause of the disorder is undetermined, there is no way to prevent it as well. However, there are some possible ways to decrease the chances. First is for the moms to ensure a healthy pregnancy and as much as possible carry the baby on the right term. Premature babies are more likely to develop cerebral palsy.

Future or expectant mothers should also make sure that they should distance themselves from many different possible health problems like hypertension, diabetes and heart deficiencies that could inflict them. Immediately after a pregnant woman finds out that they are carrying a child inside their womb, proper prenatal care is very necessary.

Once the baby is born, brain damages should also be prevented. Avoid scenarios where the head of the child bumps into hard things. Never shake an infant as well because it can result to baby syndrome and brain damage.

The health of your child will depend on how you care for them. Cerebral palsy in infant can be prohibited only if you know how to avoid its probable causes.

It is not surprising to many people when they hear that thousands of babies born all over the globe are affected by cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is certainly not a contagious disease as some people think it to be. Moreover, it is certainly not a byproduct of this new world filled with technological advancements. It has been around for centuries, and only in 1861, did physicians begin their study of this disorder.

A child struck by this disorder in their early years of life can be distinguished from other normal children of the same age by the stiff muscles in both their arms and legs, which prevent them from crawling, walking and even from trying to grasp their toys or any other objects. Cerebral palsy means disorder of the part of the brain which causes muscles to become weak. There is no muscle coordination at all and this prevents them from changing their body positions with ease.

Cerebral palsy happens when the brain, which gives out commands to the body to perform certain actions, gets affected. Depending upon the part of the brain that gets affected, cerebral palsy in children can vary. While some children may find it difficult to walk, others may find it difficult to talk, eat, or even play. The causes of Cerebral Palsy remain a mystery to most in the medical field. It is possible that babies can be subject to injuries to their brain especially if they are premature especially when they are being delivered. The heads of these babies will often be soft and tender and needs to be handled careful. Either any force used by hands or any instruments like forceps can cause grievous injuries to the baby’s brain. Even those babies that are put on ventilators to breathe are at risk of contracting cerebral palsy.

Causes of Cerebral palsy are mostly due to brain injury either before birth, during birth or just shortly after birth. A number of factors can cause cerebral palsy. However, two important problems are determined to be the main causes of cerebral palsy. The first cause is brain damage where the brain has failed to develop to its full potential. The second cause is damage to the developing brain. Bleeding in the brain can also cause this disorder in a newborn baby especially a premature one. At times, some babies fail to get the desired oxygen their brain needs while they are still in their mother’s stomach or just after their birth. The severity of the brain damage is directly related to the length of time the baby goes without oxygen.

Other causes of cerebral palsy in a child will be when the pregnant mother happens to contract any other infections or diseases like rubella, herpes simplex etc. Most of these infections can cause damage to the fetal brain during its development stage. In addition, mothers who have high risks like blood pressure, diabetes and incompatible blood type can also be responsible of their babies having cerebral palsy. Research is still being conducted on what exactly causes cerebral palsy in children.

Cerebral palsy falls into three different categories namely spastic cerebral palsy, Athetotic palsy and Ataxic cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disorder that occurs when the part of the cells that makes up the part of the brain in control of muscular movements are damaged or destroyed.

The signs and symptoms of more than a single type of cerebral palsy can be seen in a mixed condition in some children. However, generally the signs and symptoms exhibited by children with cerebral palsy could be from mild to even severe. The symptoms of cerebral palsy however do not get worse as the child grows.

The signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy in children include stiffness in muscles and spasticity when the muscles become completely frozen, a walking gait that is asymmetrical with either one foot or leg, which they tend to drag. They have lack of muscle co ordination when they perform actions. Their muscles could be either too stiff or floppy and they will show signs of excessive drooling because they are unable to swallow anything even the saliva. This can be seen especially when they suck something or when they are speaking. Tremors can be seen on their body and they will find it difficult to perform simple actions like buttoning a shirt or suing a pencil or pen to write something. Though some children with cerebral palsy can show signs of mental retardation, others are very bright and intelligent. While some may need assistance to go about their daily lives there are still others who may need special care and the use of a wheel chair.

In infants who are suffering from cerebral palsy the signs are obvious from an early age itself. If parents notice that their infants are not making the milestones that infants of the same age group are making then they have to seek medical assistance to diagnose if their infant has cerebral palsy. Infants may take more time to roll over or even difficulty I controlling their heads. They may be very slow when it comes to crawling and standing or even walking. Parents need to watch for these signs in their infants and if they feel that their infant is not making any headway in walking or even crawling by the time it is 18 months old then it is obvious that their infant has cerebral palsy.

Another sign in children with cerebral palsy is seizures and abnormal movements. Seizures occur because of electrical short circuits that take place in the brain. If you happen to see a child who has difficulty in swallowing or even while speaking with their saliva drooling from their mouths then you can be sure that that the child has cerebral palsy as drooling is a sign of this disorder. Drooling happens because of the child’s difficulty to control and move not only its tongue and mouth but also its throat muscles.

All these above signs and symptoms are sure indications that you child has cerebral palsy. You need to consult your physician immediately.