Cerebral Palsy Treatment: Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Cerebral palsy is a condition with permanent movement disorder, by birth. It can generally be detected in early childhood stage. If not treated at an early age, the conditions may worsen over time. One may experience poor coordination of limbs, stiff or weak muscles. Observe your child well to see signs of troubles with hearing, swallowing, speaking, sensation and vision as well. One might have to go through a number of treatments to sustain through cerebral palsy. It is a long term process involving regular appointments with paediatrician, paediatric neurologist, orthopaedic surgeon, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech- language pathologist, developmental therapist, mental health specialist and special education teacher, according to the severity of the condition.

A paediatrician is the first person you consult in this situation. He is the one who will manage and supervise all your treatment plans. A paediatric neurologist will diagnose and treat the brain and nervous system disorders. The muscle and bone disorders will be treated by an orthopaedic surgeon. To help improve strength and walking skills and stretch muscles, you will have to consult a physical therapist. An occupational therapist assists in using adaptive products like walkers or electric wheelchairs, to develop daily skills in the patient.

If one suffers from speech and language disorders, a speech-language pathologist will help overcome these problems. A mental health specialist helps the patients to cope with their disabilities mentally and emotionally. A cerebral palsy patient may not be able to go to school or college like others i.e. they may not be able to learn through conventional methods. A special educator determines the specific disabilities in the patients and helps them learn and gain knowledge through different resources. The paediatrician will diagnose the problem areas and suggest the specialists you should consult.

You must observe your child well for any signs of movement disorder, stiff or weak muscles, problems in speech, vision, swallowing, hearing or sensation. The sooner cerebral palsy is detected; the more chances there are of improvement.

Do not consider every minor disability to be cerebral palsy. Some disabilities can be cured at home with proper care and medication.

Cerebral palsy treatments are not known to have any side effects.

Try and make the patient as independent as possible. Encourage him to do daily activities on his own. Keep making regular appointments with your paediatrician even after the treatment is over.

There is no fixed time period to recover from cerebral palsy. It depends on the severity of the condition and the effort put into the treatment. Regular appointments with different specialists as well as own effort determine the recovery time.

Yes, in case your child shows symptoms identical to cerebral palsy contact your nearest medical aid on an urgent basis.

Summary: When the situation becomes urgent or you observe any Cerebral Palsy-related symptoms, it is best to visit a doctor than to wait.

The cost of treatment may depend upon the number and type of specialists needed in your particular case.

The results of the treatment may be permanent if there is a good follow up. Ensure that the patient exercises regularly. Keep him motivated and follow all the activities suggested by the specialists.

Due to oral motor deficiencies, digestive issues, and decreased physical activity levels, children with cerebral palsy are at a higher risk of malnutrition. As a result, such people's diets must be well-balanced and easy to digest. Here are some suggestions on foods to eat for cerebral palsy:

• Eggs
• Nut butter
• Avocado
• Olive oil
• Green leafy vegetables
• Greek yogurt
• Whole grain
• Ginger
• Salmon
• Turmeric

These suggestions are subjective in nature, which means each individual patient has their own need for nutrition. So for some these suggestions might not come in handy. Consult your dietician to have an accurate consultation.

Summary: Dietary needs of cerebral paralysis patients include high-level nutritious foods that are easy to digest and high in protein.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and stem cell therapy are being promoted nowadays as a solution to cerebral palsy but they have not yet been proven to be 100% safe or effective.

Cerebral palsy medication may be used to improve functional abilities, relieve discomfort, and control the effects of cerebral palsy. Here are some of them:

• Muscle-tightening injections: Your doctor may recommend muscle-tightening injections with onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) or another agent. Every three months or so, the injections must be repeated. Botox injections into the salivary glands are one approach to assist you to stop drooling.
• Oral muscle relaxants: Baclofen, tizanidine (Zanaflex), diazepam (Valium), and dantrolene (Dantrium) are all popular muscle relaxants.

Summary: Medications used to treat cerebral palsy are mainly focused on improving functional abilities, relieving discomfort, and controlling the effects of cerebral palsy.

Conclusion: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to walk, balance, and keep their posture. CP, which is caused by improper brain development or damage to the growing brain, impairs a person's ability to control his or her muscles. The signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from person to person.