Tag Archive 'Speech and language pathology'

Mar 26 2009

Types of Physical Therapies and their Important Benefits

Published by pooch under Cerebral Palsy Treatment & Therapy

The main objectives of physical therapy are to promote body strength, function and mobility and prevent future injury. Physical therapy is a dynamic health care profession, which utilizes both scientific knowledge and evidence-based clinic. A course focusing on the prevention of impairments, functional limitations or disabilities through the identification of risk factors for disability and the provision of educational intervention to facilitate positive change in the behavior of patients’ health. Physical therapy focuses primarily on those individuals whose potential or actual impairment is related to musculoskeletal, neuromusculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and integument (skin) systems.

Types

Orthopedic Physical Therapy: The first type of physical therapy is most commonly known by the general public. Orthopedic therapy usually takes place in the hospital immediately after surgery or an outpatient clinic where customers visit on a daily or weekly.

Pediatric Physical Therapy: Pediatric physical therapy assists the early detection of health problems among infants, children and adolescents. Treatments often seek to improve gross and fine motor skills, strength, cognitive functioning and balance.

Geriatric Physical Therapy: This type of physical therapy is aimed at people of older generations, as well as people who have problems with the aging process. Victims of osteoporosis often a geriatric physical therapist as well as senior citizens who undergo extensive surgery.

Neurological Physiotherapy: Neurological physical therapy is a way of treatment for patients with a neurological disorder or disease such as Alzheimer’s, cerebral palsy, brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s.

Physical Therapy of heat: Heat can help relax and heal your muscles and soft tissues by increasing blood circulation. This can be especially useful if a whole block of osteoarthritis or from being immobilized, or to relax the muscles before exercise. However, heat can also increase swelling in an injured area if used too soon after injury.

Speech: a speech therapist can also help your child strengthen facial muscles, if you have trouble eating or swallowing. This is especially important if your child is not getting enough nutrients in each meal.

Causes of physical therapy

Orthopedic Disorders – Orthopedic injuries are injuries that involve trauma to a bone, such as a fracture or soft tissue trauma. People with this type of injury often have limited mobility due to pain, weakness, and limited range of motion. Westchase Physical Therapy focuses on helping patients regain their strength and mobility so they can re-live life.

Carpal tunnel syndrome – pain, numbness or weakness that affects a part of the median nerve in the hand, thumb or ring finger. The pain may radiate into the arm. Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include repetitive handwork and trauma.

Benefits of physical therapy

benefits of physical therapy, but the benefits are essential to evaluate physical problems, increase and maintain muscle strength and endurance, restore and enhance the overall range of motion, increase coordination, decrease pain, muscle spasms and reduce plasticity, decrease swelling and inflammation of the joints, promote healing of soft tissue lesions, prevent contracture and deformity of limbs, alleviate walking problems, educate patients and families, reduce stress and a lot more too numerous to mention. These are just some of the benefits of physical therapy.

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Oct 08 2008

What Cerebral Palsy Treatments Can Help With Controlling The Symptoms?

Published by pooch under Cerebral Palsy Treatment & Therapy

There are an ever growing number of methods of treatment for the symptoms of Cerebral Palsy and research is being done to find more. The effects of Cerebral Palsy can be lessened by a combination of methods which can include medication, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, orthopedic surgery, mechanical aids and operations. Obviously, the earlier a child can start any of these treatments, the better. Parents and carers need to work closely on formulating a plan for managing the child’s Cerebral Palsy with various professionals. This is the time when it is important for anyone involved in the child’s life to get involved in the decision making. Parents and carers may also be a little bewildered by all the titles that members of the team have to care. Here is a list of the most common medical professionals who are likely to be a part of a child’s support network, to help clarify their areas of expertise: – A paediatrician (a doctor that deals specifically with children) – they act as team leader and co-ordinator as they collect and analyze the information they get from other specialists. – A physical therapist – they will work with you and your child to create unique exercise programs aimed at your child’s level of Cerebral Palsy to help improve their movement and strength – An occupational therapist – they provide ideas to help your child learn basic life Skills – A social worker – they are available to help you obtain any community assistance, education, and training programs that are suitable for your child. The options available very greatly from one area to another so they are a great resource for wading thru the red tape! – A speech therapist – they are often responsible for diagnosing and treating any communication problems your child may have due to their Cerebral Palsy. They will also often assist with feeding and drinking problems. – A psychologist – they are going to be able to help you and your child deal with any behavioral problems caused by Cerebral Palsy. They are also there for you and the rest of your family to help work thru the stresses of dealing with a child diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. – An orthopedic surgeon – in some cases of Cerebral Palsy, surgery may be necessary. The orthopedic surgeon will help to analyze the possible benefits of surgery on your child’s muscle and bone development. It is important to know about living with cerebral palsy When living with cerebral palsy in the family, one must realize that every child is unique, whether they have Cerebral Palsy or not. It is also true to say that every case of Cerebral Palsy is also different from another. No one can predict precisely how Cerebral Palsy will affect the everyday life of the afflicted child. Cerebral Palsy can impact on a child’s physical development, brain functions and sight and hearing. The degree to how each of these affects their everyday life is heavily dependent on the level of the child has Cerebral Palsy and the success of treatments they undergo. We have spoken about the problems that a child will experience because of their Cerebral Palsy, but what about the effects of living with cerebral palsy on the everyday lives of those around them? This is probably the most underrated issue about children with Cerebral Palsy – how it affects those close to the child, especially the parents and other members of the family. One thing that often occurs in families when a new baby arrives, regardless of whether the baby has Cerebral Palsy or not, is that the older child (ren) can feel neglected. It can be harder having a child with Cerebral Palsy it is important that your other child (ren) still receive the attention they need from you because they have a higher risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems. ALL parents and carers go through a wide range of feelings after the birth of any child. They are more likely to have Deeper and more heart-felt negative feelings because the child has Cerebral Palsy. There is a theory about the different stages of feelings that people go through upon hearing that a child has Cerebral Palsy. These include: – Shock and Denial-Anger and Grief-Acceptance-Guild It is important that people deal with these feelings in a constructive manner and find someone to help work through with them.
There are an increasing number of methods of treatment for the symptoms of cerebral palsy and research is being done to find more. The effects of cerebral palsy can be reduced through a combination of methods that may include medication, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, orthopedic surgery, mechanical aids and operations.

Obviously, the first one a child can start any of these treatments, the better. Parents and caregivers must work closely in formulating a plan for managing the child with cerebral palsy various professionals. This is the time it is important for all those involved in the lives of children to participate in decision making.

Parents and caregivers can also be a bit bewildered by all the titles that members of a team of care they have. Here is a list of the most common medical professionals that it is likely that a part of a child of the support network to help clarify their areas of specialization:

- A pediatrician (a doctor who deals specifically with children) – who act as team leader and coordinator, and to collect and analyze information we get from other specialists.

- A physical therapist – they will work with you and your child create a unique exercise programs for their child the level of cerebral palsy to help improve their movement and power

- An occupational therapist – providing ideas to help your child learn basic skills for life

- A social worker – that are available to help you get any assistance from the community, education, training and programs that are appropriate for your child. Available options very much from one area to another so they are a great resource for wading through the bureaucracy!

- A speech therapist – are responsible for the diagnosis and treatment often communication problems throughout their child may have because of his cerebral palsy. They also often help with food and drink problems.

- A psychologist – who will be able to help you and your child deal with any behavior problems caused by cerebral palsy. Are also there for you and the rest of his family to help work through the efforts of dealing with a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

- An orthopedic surgeon – in some cases of cerebral palsy, surgery may be necessary. The orthopedic surgeon will help analyze the potential benefits of surgery in the child’s muscle and bone development.

It is important to know about living with cerebral palsy

When living with cerebral palsy in the family, one must realize that each child is unique, whether they have cerebral palsy or not.

It is also true that every case of cerebral palsy is also different from another. Nobody can accurately predict how Cerebral Palsy affect the daily lives of the afflicted children.

Cerebral palsy can have an impact on a child’s physical, brain function and sight and hearing. The degree of how each of these affects your daily life is largely dependent on the level of the child has cerebral palsy and the success of the treatments that are submitted.

We talked about the problems that a child because of his experience cerebral palsy, but what about the effects of living with cerebral palsy in the daily lives of people around them? This is probably the most underrated question about children with cerebral palsy – how it affects those around children, especially parents and other family members.

One thing that often occurs in families when a new baby arrives, regardless of whether the baby has cerebral palsy or not, is that the older child (s) can feel neglected. You can be more difficult to have a child with cerebral palsy is important that his other son (s) continues to receive the care they need from you, because they have a higher risk of developing behavioral and emotional problems.

All parents and caregivers go through a wide range of feelings after the birth of any child. They are more likely to have profound and sincere negative feelings because the child has cerebral palsy.

There is a theory about the different stages of feelings that people go to the hearing through a child who has cerebral palsy. These include:

- Shock and denial, anger and pain-Acceptance-Gremio

It is important that people face these feelings in a constructive way and find someone to help work with them through.

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Oct 06 2008

Cerebral Palsy – Understanding a Serious Disorder

Published by admin under Cerebral Palsy Articles

Cerebral palsy is a disorder which impairs a person’s ability to control and utilize his or her muscles. Although its symptoms are expressed through abnormal muscle movements, cerebral palsy is not caused by problems with the muscles themselves; rather, it is a neurological disorder caused by damage to regions of the brain devoted to motor skills.

Cerebral palsy is a lifetime disorder. Most of those who have cerebral palsy are born with it, and symptoms are usually evident in children by the time they are three years old. These symptoms include difficulty walking, abnormal movement while walking, lack of muscle coordination, or excessively tight muscles. Medical and scientific research shows that children may also develop cerebral palsy as the result of brain damage or injuries sustained during early infancy. Known causes include bacterial meningitis (an infection of the brain), viral encephalitis, or physical injuries received during a fall, an accident, or as the result of abuse.

There is no cure for cerebral palsy. People who have it will be affected by it their entire lives. The good news is that proper treatment and therapy can significantly reduce the negative impact that cerebral palsy can have on a person’s life. Time is a key factor in effective treatment – the earlier children start therapy, the more likely they will reap significant benefits from it. Some treatments for cerebral palsy are: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, corrective surgery, mobility aids (wheelchairs, walkers, etc.), and communication aids.

Cerebral palsy does not affect all patients equally. Some may be seriously disabled even with extensive therapy, while others may suffer only minor difficulties and are able to live out their adult lives in a fairly normal manner.

A good way to understand cerebral palsy is by looking at the way it affects a person’s muscle control.

The most common form of cerebral palsy, known as spastic cerebral palsy, inhibits a person’s ability to relax or loosen muscles smoothly. As a result, they display the characteristic stiff, jerky movements from which this type of cerebral palsy derives its name.

Ataxic cerebral palsy is a type of cerebral palsy which is almost exactly opposite from the spastic type. People who suffer from ataxic CB have extremely low muscle tone and lack coordination, particularly in the area of fine motor skills. They will often appear shaky or unsteady when moving and have problems with keeping still or maintaining their balance.

Several other types of cerebral palsy exist as combinations of spastic and ataxic characteristics. These other types, such as athetoid and mixed cerebral palsy, are characterized by frequent, involuntary movements in their upper body and face, as well as an inability to hold on to small objects.

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Brainpalsy.com is brought to you as part of a joint effort to educate people about cerebral palsy and help families affected by the disease. Our goal is to make life easier for families. We understand that caring for a child with cerebral palsy is extremely difficult. Parents naturally have many questions about their child's cerebral palsy. Brainpalsy.com aims to provide information that answers these questions. If you find our site useful, please share it with others.