Caring for People with Cerebral Palsy

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Children and adults who suffer cerebral palsy require intensive and continuous care. In addition to long-term care, people with cerebral palsy should be routine medical care.

Cerebral palsy is a disease that results in impaired brain development. Some of the factors of children suffering from cerebral palsy, among others: occurs because random mutations in genes that control brain development, maternal infection that affects the developing fetus and the fetus had a stroke so that the blood supply to the developing brain.

Then due to lack of oxygen to the brain or asphyxia, infection in infants that causes brain inflammation and injury to the baby's head due to accidents, falls or abuse.

Medical care for people with cerebral palsy are:

1. Care by pediatricians or physiciatrist, oversees the treatment plan and medical care

2. Child neurologists (pediatric) who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders in children

3. Orthopedics to handle muscle and bone disorders

4. Skills therapist specializing in therapeutic skill development and use of everyday objects to assist the activities of daily

5. Behavioral therapist who specializes in the development of age-appropriate child behavior, as well as helping the development of social skills and interpersonal skills of children

6. Mental health consultants such as psychologists or psychiatrists

7. Social workers to assist families in service access and child care plan

8. For children with special needs teacher in charge of learning disabilities, determining educational needs and identify appropriate educational

While drugs that must be consumed, among them:

1. Drug seizures in a part of the muscle, doctors may recommend injections onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) directly into the nerve, muscle or both. Side effects may feel weak, difficulty breathing and swallowing difficult.

2. To treat seizures throughout the body, can be administered diazepam (Diazepam Intensol, Valium), tizanidine (Zanaflex), dantrolene (Dantrium), and baclofen. The use of diazepam is not recommended for long term because there is a risk of dependence.

The side effects are drowsiness, feeling weak and a lot of drool. Side effects of tizanidine can be drowsiness, weakness, low blood pressure and liver damage. Dantrolene and baclofen side effects include drowsiness. Baclofen can also be pumped directly into the spinal cord with a tube. Pump implanted under the skin of the stomach by surgery.

Various non-drug therapies can also help people with cerebral palsy improve functional ability. Among others:
1. Physical Therapy. Exercise can help increase muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and motor development
2. Occupational therapy to encourage the child's independence in daily activities and routines at home, school and community.
3. Speech therapy to help improve the ability to speak clearly or communicate using sign language.

Children with severe disabilities or contractures may require surgery or bone joints and toes. Surgical procedures can also extend the muscle and tendon so that more proportional. When treatment does not help, the surgeon can cut the nerve that causes muscle spasms.

Sources: MayoClinic

Posted in: Cerebral Palsy