Causes of Cerebral Palsy

As mentioned above, one of the main causes of Cerebral Palsy is the damage to the human brain. Usually, a brain damage with five years of birth leads to this condition. This damage restricts the brain to develop fully. Some other Cerebral Palsy causes include:

1. Brain Hemorrhage (Bleeding in brain)
2. Lack of Oxygen supplied to the brain during or after a child birth.
3. Head injuries in the initial five years of infancy.
4. Viral and Bacterial infections.

Always keep that in mind that doctors still have not been able to find all the causes of Cerebral Palsy. According to Cerebral Palsy facts, it is estimated that about 20-50 percent of the Cerebral Palsy cases still doesn’t have known causes. There are about 17 million people with Cerebral Palsy worldwide.

Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

The early signs of Cerebral Palsy in infants include movement problems with irregular muscle tone. This muscle tone is the ability of a person to relax or tighten his muscles as required. The symptoms are usually shown in the initial years of a child. Some of the symptoms of Cerebral Palsy are:

1. Underdeveloped or Overdeveloped muscles.
2. Limited range of body movement.
3. Favoring one side over the other.
4. Stiff contracting muscles.
5. Hearing and eyesight problems.
6. Seizures – It is one of most common Cerebral Palsy symptoms in adults.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

The types of Cerebral Palsy are divided into four different categories:

Spastic CP

This Cerebral Palsy condition is further divided into three parts – Hemiplegia, Diplegia and Quadriplegia. Hemiplegia involves muscle stiffness limited just to the patient’s arm or leg. Usually, it is limited to only one side which would not develop fully. Diplegia affects the lower limbs with no effect on the upper body. This condition makes walking difficult because of tight leg and hip muscles. Quadriplegia is the most severe form of Spastic CP. It affects the whole body and involves congenital disorder.

Athetoid CP

This type of Cerebral Palsy is also known as Dyskinetic CP and is one of the most common types of the condition. While this problem doesn’t affect the intelligence of the patient, it greatly affects the muscles of the body leading to walking, sitting and speaking problems.

Ataxic CP

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy affects the balance and coordination greatly. Small tasks which require high level of motor skills such as using scissors, buttoning up shirt and tying shoelaces are difficult to do. Also, maintaining balance can be a tad difficult because patients tend to walk with their feet wide apart.

Hypotonic CP

This condition is developed due to an injury to the Brain’s Cerebellum. It causes a number of muscle problems and breathing difficulties for patients.

Prevention of Cerebral Palsy

The chances of prevention of Cerebral Palsy are less but it is highly advisable for women who are planning to give birth to a child that they follow few actions to reduce the risk of child getting the condition. It is highly important that women should:

1. Perform regular exercise.
2. Eat healthy and regularly.
3. Avoid all forms of tobacco, alcohol and drugs.

Treatment of Cerebral Palsy

The Cerebral Palsy treatment is a continuous process and is hugely dependent on the early Cerebral Palsy awareness and steps for treatment at an early stage. The “World Cerebral Palsy Day” is also celebrated on 6^th of October every year to raise the awareness about this disease.

• The chances of treating children with Cerebral Palsy greatly increase if early treatment is provided because a developing brain is more resilient than a developed brain. If treated early, it could help to improve the mobility in a child.
• The treatment of Cerebral Palsy doesn’t involve curing the child or correcting his body movement. The main form of treatment that specialist doctors provide is to make sure that a child could develop independently.
• Doctors and Specialists help patients suffering from Cerebral Palsy to live a completely self-sufficient live and help to improve their motor skills. Due to latest research on Cerebral Palsy, it is possible to improve the patient’s motor skills with the help of surgery, alternative therapy and medication.
• Parents of children suffering from Cerebral Palsy can make sure that their kids visit schools for children with Cerebral Palsy and follow the diet tips for child with Cerebral Palsy as recommended by doctors for the growth of their children.

Cerebral Palsy Home Remedies

It is very sad to know that there are no actual cures available for this disease. But there are some home remedies for Cerebral Palsy which include:

• Fish Oil
• Ginger
• Echinacea
• Physical Therapy
• Acupuncture

These natural remedies can provide a little bit support to brain and muscle functions.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Autism, as it is commonly known as, is a name for group of complex disorders of brain development. Usually, all these Autism disorders in people are characterized by difficulties they face in social interaction, repetitive behaviors and verbal and nonverbal communications. The latest news on Autism after May 2013, all different types of the Autism disorders were combined together under a single umbrella diagnosis of ASD having previously recognized as distinct subtypes. These subtypes include childhood, neurological disorder, disintegrative mental disorders, autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder.

Causes of Autism

The real causes of Autism are not yet known to the scientist however, a number of researches have concluded that a number of factors such as heredity genes, neurological factors, problems at birth and certain types of infections to behind this disorder. The early signs of Autism seem to appear at the first stages of brain development while the symptoms such as mental illness emerge out when children around 2-3 years old. A number of theories that suggest the cause of Autism include the following:

1. In some rare cases, Autism can also be passed from parents to children at birth because of people having genetic predisposition to Autism. Researches have searched long and hard for clues which can help them to decode the exact genes which transfer the disease from parents to their children after showing signs of Autism in babies.
2. It has been noted that sometimes environmental factors also contribute a major role in the occurrence of this disorder. Autism can also be caused by the disruption in the brain development of child leading to mental retardation while he is still in the mother’s womb.
3. Sometimes, one’s immune system itself produces anti-bodies that can attack a child’s bran which can lead to Autism.
4. Cases of abnormalities in the brain structures which can lead to autistic behavior in autistic children.
5. Other Autism causes include abnormal timings of brain growth in early childhood can also lead to this disorder. It is because, during the early stages of brain development, the brains affected with Autism grow at a faster rate as compared to the ones of normal children. Later on, it reverses around with autistic brains growing slowly.

Symptoms of Autism

Autism symptoms in adults can be different from each other. Most health care specialists think of Autism as a case of spectrum disorder. This means that different people suffering from the disorder can show a range of similar features also. The symptoms can be mild or serious depending from person to person. However, each person suffering from this disorder shows some basic signs and symptoms of Autism in:

Interactions and Communication with other People

1. Usually won’t respond to his name till he is about 1-year-old.
2. Children with Autism usually doesn’t follow directions.
3. Is unable to explain what he wants

Repetitive Behaviors or Routines

1. Autistic child symptoms include spending a lot of time in arranging things in a line again and again.
2. Shows a high amount of attachment to stuff toys.

Social Behavior

1. Development of nonverbal communication skills are not developed
2. Failure to make friends which other children from same age group.
3. Lack of enjoyment or interest in outdoor activities.

Types of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Currently there are three types of Autism Spectrum Disorders known to scientists:

Autistic Disorder

Most people suffering from autistic disorder suffer from social and communication challenges with other people, significant language delays, and show signs of unusual behaviors. People with this disorder also suffer from forms of intellectual disability.

Asperger Syndrome

People suffering from the Asperger Syndrome usually show few mild symptoms as compared to people suffering from autistic disorders. These people might face challenges in socializing with people and show unusual interest or behavior but do not show signs of intellectual disability.

Pervasive Development Disorder

People who have PDD-NOS show less and milder symptoms to autistic disorder people which prevent them from communicating with people near them.

Autism Prevention

Doctors are unable to prevent the exact cause of Autism and hence curing it can be difficult. In some cases, children are born with Autism since birth. Therefore, it would not be possible to prevent the autistic disorder. However, you can still lower this risk by making a number of lifestyle changes in your life:

Live Healthy

It is of paramount importance that you follow a healthy living pattern. Make sure you consume well-balanced meals, do regular exercise and have check-ups from time to time. Diet tips for child with autism given by your doctors should be followed extensively.

Avoid Alcohol

While you are having a child in your womb, avoid consumption of any kind of alcoholic beverage.

No Drugs during Pregnancy

Make sure you cross check your use of anti-seizure drugs during pregnancy without the consent of your doctor.

Get Vaccinated

Before getting pregnant, it is advisable to be vaccinated against German measles as it prevents rubella-associated Autism.

Home Remedies for Autism

While full prevention or cure of the Autism Spectrum Disorders is very difficult, a number of home remedies for Autism can help you in containing the spread of the disorder. These include:

Magnesium Supplements

It is very important for children suffering from Autism to consume magnesium in their diet as its deficiency can lead to many symptoms and different behavioral patterns in them. This ensures that the Autism symptoms can be reduced for improved behavior and productive behavioral therapy.

Fish Oil

Another popular Autism cure is the consumption of fatty acids such as Omega-3 fatty acids are very beneficial for an overall development of human body. It helps to increase socialization among people and soothe hyperactive behaviors. Fish oil contains a very high amount of omega-3 in them.

Sugar-free and Gluten-free

Eliminating sugar and gluten from your diet can also help to reduce the symptoms of Autism in the human body.

Besides these remedies, you can also follow a number of other natural remedies for Autism spectrum disorders as prescribed by doctors.

Treatment for Autism

As the case with different symptoms on different people suffering from Autism, the Autism treatment also varies from person to person. However, few common treatment techniques such as Ayurvedic treatment for Autism can be followed at the early stage of a child’s brain development to help him reach his potential.

Behavioral Training and Management

This training helps to improve the behavioral pattern and communication with other people.

Specialized Therapies

These therapies include physical, occupational and speech therapy. They can help to a child suffering from Autism to improve his social and linguistic skills to communicate easily.  Physical therapy also helps to improve deficiencies in motor and coordination skills.

Medicines

A number of problems related to behaviors such as anxiety, depression and hyperactivity can be treated by using a number of doctor-prescribed medicines.