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.