Brainpalsy.com – Helping Parents Combat Cerebral Palsy

When our triplets were born at 27 weeks gestation in 1984, the chances of even going to survive. The odds that they can lead a normal life were much less. We lost our son on the 15th due to a rare heart condition, but the two girls survived. Both suffered various problems premature – patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), jaundice, and other between the two. They said they expect one of them (Jessie) to be mentally retarded. We did not expect the other to be later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She seemed fine until about 2 years old when he started walking on foot and had some problems with his right arm when used for lifting “heavy” objects.

Two years after the diagnosis of cerebral palsy was made. First, the X-rays were taken by a specialist to make sure their hips that were not turned in then a neurologist performed a CT scan and MRI. Alicia began physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) at the time was 2 ½ years and was placed in a plastic boot by a pediatric orthopedist in his right leg – the one with the worst pronunciation of foot finger foot. When reminded, she could put the foot flat, but could not bend there. After only one year in OT improved his fine motor skills to be released. I still had the “shakes” when lifting something over a pound with her hand just right. Still, it was a great success in learning to write at the age of only 4. She wore the plastic boot to 6 years and then was released from PT and the specialist. While we are very fortunate that she did not suffer mental problems due to your PC, the “soft” has all the diagnostic problems of its own.

When starting kindergarten, Alicia still had hand tremors and walking on tiptoe, if you forgot to put your feet down. A simple tap on the shoulder reminded him to walk flat-footed. (His teacher was wonderful to help with this.) From another child in her kindergarten class suffered from a worst case of intervention (or unprincipled) of CP was qualified to receive both OT and PT through the school. Professor Alice decided that test to see if I could get it. NO – Alicia was already over “grade in all areas of education so that this prevented him from qualifying for any help. Although it is wonderful to know that his mind was not affected in any way, it is very embarrassing for me students who suffer any physical limitations are not allowed to receive help if you are not affected educationally. This is one of the biggest frustrations for the diagnosis of mild cerebral palsy.

As a father who wants his children to succeed in all they try, it is difficult to see her struggle to brush her long hair herself. It is very difficult to see your food without “reminding” her constantly to close the mouth during chewing, (this is not in bad taste that literally can not seem to do) or to have more bite, please! She can pour a cup of tea or water if the pitcher is almost complete – it’s too heavy for her. She has no real coordination in physical education at school, but it is and that’s all that counts so far. She has made great progress, although in one area – he plays clarinet in the band and worked so hard that the chair moved from 12 to 2 this year. This to me is a great achievement! It requires great skill of his fingers.

The diagnosis of mild CP are difficult to live with his son when he “seems” normal for most people. Teachers and friends wonder why she is not able to do many physical tasks and tasks that education does. This is where self-esteem is damaged! It’s been a struggle at times to ensure that everyone is “coordinated” anyway. For years he hated and hated that she was to “get CP. After years of remembering that she is a wonderful person, no matter what, she’s finally become a safe and happy boy.

However, I wonder what is in front of her as she grows. What other simple tasks will be difficult for her? Since she is “normal” in all other areas how people expect me to do “normally?” These are some reasons why the diagnosis of mild cerebral palsy is so frustrating. We hope to be able to do all things, and she can not. But since her mental capacity is not affected, we tend to forget that it has its limitations. It’s so hard not to expect her to be “perfect” in everything he does since he is so good in their schooling. (She had the highest academic average in the 7th grade class last year, what more could you ask for?)

I have to remind myself every day how lucky we are with the two girls. The prognosis was not promising when they were discharged from the NICU. We are very blessed to have two very happy, healthy girls, and is an added advantage that both are successful in school.

Cerebral palsy is a physical disability most common in childhood basically affecting the movements and posture causing limited activity being attributed to disturbances, which are not progressive occurring in the developing infant or fatal brain. The motor disorders of cerebral palsy are habitually accompanied by disturbances of cognition, sensation, perception, communication, and behavior or seizure disorder.

There are secondary orthopaedic abnormality inhibited by the child such as scoliosis of the spine and hip dislocation. Scoliosis is a condition involving spines lateral curvature greater than ten degrees without possible cure but can be treated by surgery or bracing.

William Little first detected the cerebral palsy also known as cerebral paralysis in 1860. He was a British surgeon identifying that asphyxia during birth is the major cause of the abnormality. Asphyxia is a condition where there is an occurrence of extremely deficient oxygen supply to the body leading to inability of breathing normally.

In 1897, Sigmund Freud, a neurologist said that the disorder is not brought about by a difficult birth rather from the symptoms of other effects during the development of the fetus.

In 1980, it was found out by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke that only few number of cases of cerebral palsy is due to lack of oxygen during birth.

It was believed by Thomas Galton that there is a consistency between aptitude and physical disability however this attitude stays prevalent leading to an over diagnosed cerebral palsy disorder in 1970.

This leads to occurrences of different cerebral palsy subtypes including hypotonic CP however only one individual out of 2000 are positively diagnosed with this disorder. So it only means that cerebral palsy depends on the peoples interpretation of what the disorder is. Spastic, Ataxic, Atheoid, and mixed are recognized by scholars as important forms of cerebral palsy open to subtypes existence.

It is a misnomer that cerebral palsy causes mental retardation because only those individual with brain damage associated with frontal cerebral cortex acquired this disorder.

Learning difficulties can occur but individuals with CP can have normal lives when it is managed effectively and coherently. Difficulties in movements are common with people diagnosed with cerebral palsy varying from minor levels of clumsiness.

Cerebral palsy can occur during pregnancy with a rate of 75%, at birth with a 5% rating, after birth with a 15% rating. Eighty percent of cerebral palsy causes are not known. However some known causes includes malnutrition, infections and major head injury during early stage of childhood.

Although the occurrence of ataxic cerebral palsy is quite rare (such type is only accounted for about 5 to 10 percent of the entire cerebral palsy cases), keep in mind that it is still cerebral palsy, and it can cause bothering problems not only on your affected child but also to you as well.

The following are some of the facts about ataxic cerebral palsy which you need to be aware of:

• The cerebellum is the part of the human brain that is damaged, causing the ataxic type of cerebral palsy. It is responsible for the coordination and balance of body movements.

• Once damaged, it could result on the following:

o Hypotonia disorder or poor muscle tone;

o Having hard time maintaining balance;

o Depth perception disorders;

o Various tremors; and

o Disability in controlling the motion and range of voluntary movements.

• Children affected with ataxic cerebral palsy may show the following signs:

o Demonstrating unsteady gait;

o Intention tremors while attempting to perform any voluntary movements;

o Clumsiness and difficulty in performing such voluntary movements;

o Writing task is severely affected;

o Depth perception disorder results to coarser movements like reaching for any object;

o Involuntary and rapid eyeball movements; and

o Other related conditions such as visual and hearing disabilities, seizures, and possibly mental retardation.

In most cases, a doctor diagnoses a child for any possible presence of ataxic cerebral palsy through a combination of meticulous physical examination and findings from medical imaging methods like MRI and CT scans. Such findings along with the result of the physical examination are used to evaluate and identify if the brain is developing normally or not. Moreover, if not diagnosed at an early age, it may worse as the affected child ages.

Sad to say, the cure for ataxic cerebral palsy has to be formulated. However, it can be treated by the help of therapies and medical substances. One of the popular treatments used to combat ataxic cerebral palsy is by undergoing a process called chronic cerebella. It starts by placing any stimulation medium such as electrode at the surface of the damaged cerebellum. This is believed to restore the muscle tone and balance.

It is important that you are aware of the signs of ataxic cerebral palsy for it will be your cue if your child is suffering from it, thus you can brought him/her to your physician for further evaluation. Your childs life as well as his/her future is at stake here, so it is imperative that you are not negligent. Be alert and be aware of ataxic cerebral palsy.