When we think of cerebral palsy, we often picture a child sitting, completely dependent and lacking control of their movements. But few people know the real reasons behind childhood cerebral palsy and how it develops over the course of life. But first, let’s understand what this paralysis is and its main causes.

What does cerebral palsy affect?

Cerebral palsy, or non-progressive chronic encephalopathy as it is known in medicine, is a general term that encompasses a set of brain disorders with no recovery and that completely affect a child’s movement, balance, coordination, and posture. This disorder occurs due to one or more injuries in the brain region or dysfunction of the nervous system, which is not considered a disease but rather an irreversible pathological condition.

Causes

Its cause is not directly linked to a single reason, since there are several factors that can trigger childhood cerebral palsy. One of the main hypotheses is that some dysfunction occurs during the brain development of the fetus, which begins right after conception and is completed after the baby is born. Therefore, any alteration during this developmental phase is harmful to brain function and can cause permanent and irreversible damage.

The greatest incidence is related to premature babies, those born with low birth weight (below 1.5 kg), or problems during pregnancy, for example, diseases that alter the functionality of the placenta or uterine blood flow. The causes are also related to the following problems:

  • Genetic malformation
  • Head trauma
  • Meningitis
  • Encephalitis
  • Sepsis

Besides those listed above, rubella, syphilis, AIDS, toxoplasmosis, and the use of drugs, medications, alcohol, and cigarettes during pregnancy are directly related to occurrences of childhood cerebral palsy. In addition to RH factor incompatibility between mother and child and the main occurrence in these cases, lack of oxygen to the brain during labor.

What are the Symptoms of Childhood Cerebral Palsy?

The symptoms of cerebral palsy differ in each child and are specific for every affected brain area and its severity. Among the most common symptoms are intellectual disability, breathing difficulty, motor development difficulties, muscle weakness, and speech problems. Based on the symptoms, medicine classifies cerebral palsy into three types:

  • Spastic palsy – This is the most common type of palsy, where the child has stiffer, harder, and involuntary body movements. Its main feature is muscle rigidity caused by a lesion in the pyramidal system. The main cause is premature birth.
  • Ataxic palsy – This completely affects balance, coordination, and overall movements. It affects the cerebellum and causes a sensation of falling and altered depth perception in the child.
  • Dyskinetic or athetoid palsy – The child exhibits involuntary, uncontrolled, and even atypical movements. The affected area of the brain is the extrapyramidal system.

Neurological Symptoms

Besides motor disturbance, other neurological symptoms may occur, such as seizures, vision problems, hearing impairment, and feeding difficulties, with each potentially compromising the child’s overall development.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of childhood cerebral palsy is entirely clinical, where, based on all the information, history, and family’s account, along with the child’s physical assessment, the diagnosis is made. Unfortunately, there is no specific test that determines the diagnosis. All requested tests are considered complementary to reach the result through assessment of the case.

Unfortunately, childhood cerebral palsy has no cure because it is an irreversible lesion of the brain system. Therefore, the recommended treatments focus on improving the child’s development, increasing their quality of life, and reducing the risk of future complications.

IMPORTANT: Monthly pediatric visits are essential to monitor the baby or child’s development. All information such as growth, muscle strength, coordination, and age-appropriate skills will be recorded.

Treatment

The treatment must be performed and followed by a team of specialists and healthcare professionals. Dentists, physical therapists, and nurses should each work in their area, providing opportunities for improvement in the condition.

One of the essential therapies for the development of a child with cerebral palsy is physical therapy, which can offer improvement in posture, muscle toning, and better respiratory function for the child.

Medical Specialists

Special care and follow-up are also needed with a pediatric neurologist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist, and a teacher trained in special education who will assess and provide suitable education based on each condition.

Medication is mainly based on anticonvulsants and drugs to control agitation caused by intellectual disability. Currently, medicine is striving for research aimed at using stem cells in the treatment of cerebral palsy, focusing on regenerating the affected brain area.

Is There Prevention?

Since it is not considered a disease and there is no determining factor for cerebral palsy to occur, prevention is impossible. However, if the pregnant woman has correct prenatal care with an obstetrician and through tests requested throughout pregnancy, it is possible to reduce the chances of occurrence.

Lack of treatment can worsen the child’s symptoms, causing limb shortening, atrophy and intense muscle stiffness, and intensifying issues with vision, speech, dentition, and psychiatric conditions.

In many cases where children do not receive adequate care and treatment, as they reach a certain age, the situation becomes almost unsustainable for the families to manage. Therefore, treatment is essential to offer better chances of development and a better quality of life, not only for the child but also for the entire family.

See Also: Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology – When to Seek Help?

Photo: Sepph