Cerebral Palsy

It often happens to children before birth and before the child is fully developed. as a result of brain damage, It may also occur after childbirth in the early periods during the lactation stage, It results in movement disorders and body position, and may cause mental disorders, epilepsy, blindness or deafness.

Causes of cerebral palsy in children

Research has not reached a specific cause of cerebral palsy in children, but there are a number of reasons that may cause disorders in brain development in children, such as:

Genetics factor
An infection transmitted from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy
An infection transmitted from mother to fetus during lactation
– Lack of access to blood to the brain of the fetus during its formation inside the womb.
Injury to the child’s head as a result of an accident or fall
– Lack of oxygen in difficult deliveries, which is one of the least common causes currently.

 

Factors that increase the risk of cerebral palsy in children

Maternal health

The infection of the pregnant mother with some diseases may increase the possibility of the infection being transmitted to the child and infecting the brain during the formation stage. Among these diseases:
(German measles – herpes – syphilis – Zika virus – pregnancy poisoning – thyroid disorders – poisoning) and other diseases that may affect the pregnant mother and affect the development of the fetal brain.

– Birth process

There are factors associated with the birth process that may increase the baby’s risk of having a stroke, such as:
The birth of the baby weighing less than 2.5 grams.

Increase the number of fetuses sharing the mother’s womb.

Premature birth , Premature babies are most susceptible to the disease.
Difficulties and complications of the birth process may lead to disease in the fetus.
Breastfeeding process
Newborn diseases are: Which can increase the risk of cerebral palsy in the following:

Bacterial meningitis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Viral encephalitis is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Untreated jaundice, where jaundice appears as a yellowing of the skin.

Brain hemorrhage is a common condition that occurs as a result of a child having a stroke while in the womb or shortly after birth.

The effect of cerebral palsy on the body

– Cerebral palsy affects the position of the child’s body in which he grows, his movement, and his coordination of movement. This means that the child is growing with short and tight muscles. with increased muscle tension, This makes the development of the abilities and functions of children with cerebral palsy less than other children.
– Affected proprioceptors located in the joints, tendons and muscles, and their function is to transmit information from the brain about the position, movement and balance of the body, This is important information not only for performing basic movements but also for learning new ones.
– The functional development of the spine stops, which leads to difficulty in receiving and understanding the messages of the central nervous system, and thus poor movement development in the child with cerebral palsy.

Physical and occupational therapy applications for children with cerebral palsy
The treatment program is determined based on the child’s neuro-motor development.
It is necessary for a child with cerebral palsy to undergo a rehabilitation and occupational program to improve his quality of life. And this program is not only for the treatment of peripheral muscles and joints, But also to restore joint and muscle movements.
And to work to increase the body’s nervous ability to grow and adapt, strengthening vital structures throughout the body, restore correct mechanical function and enhance the flow of sensory messages throughout the nervous system.

Physical and occupational therapy for a person with cerebral palsy includes several axes, namely:

Strengthening the spine and revitalizing its functions

Through manual therapy to solve the problem of functional stoppage and rehabilitation of the spine and gradually restore its functions.

After manual therapy comes the role of some techniques that help in straightening tissues and muscles, strengthening them and training them in movement.

Treating muscle tension

By electrical stimulation of the nervous and muscular systems, which leads to muscle relaxation.

Moving the joints

To improve its movement and flexibility, prevent its stiffness, and stimulate blood circulation in it, starting from the major joints such as the thigh, knees, and shoulders. Then the rest of the body joints.

Therapeutic massage

Therapeutic massage is important to activate weak muscles after the phase of muscle relaxation because it prepares the musculoskeletal system, which is necessary for the success of strengthening the functions of the spine.

Movement exercises

To restore and improve the motor function of the spine and limbs, and rehabilitation to acquire new movements necessary for use in our daily lives.
In the beginning, the training consists of simple movements, followed by more complex movements. The daily sessions include breathing and joint movement exercises, as well as straightening exercises.

strength training

These exercises aim to strengthen the muscles to improve the movement pattern, Where the lower limbs are subjected to exercises based on devices such as treadmills that help activate the muscles.

The physiotherapist at the Egyptian Center for Physiotherapy may use vibration therapy to stimulate sensory receptors in the muscles before subjecting the child to strength training.

Birth salt

the definition
It is an injury that occurs to the baby during a difficult delivery as a result of the size of the baby being larger than the size of the mother’s pelvis. This prompts doctors to pull the child out, which may lead to nerve injury and nerve paralysis in the upper part of the child.

Causes of birth defects

– During a normal delivery, the head of the fetus comes out of the vagina, followed by the shoulders, at which time the shoulder may get stuck behind the pelvic bones, so the doctor resorts to pulling the head against the shoulder, and the brachial nerve plexus is tightened, as well as paralysis or a fracture of the collarbone may occur.

– Gestational Diabetes.
Twin births or an increase in the size of the fetus.
Maternal weight gain during pregnancy.
The breech position during childbirth.

Physiotherapy for birth trauma

Physiotherapy and chiropractic help improve and strengthen the arm and nerves. The rates of recovery and recovery in cases that do not require surgical interventions are high, as well as in cases with less damage to the nerve. Where physical therapy plays an important role during the first six months of a child’s life to prevent deformity, It includes one of the following exercises:

– Stretching exercises for short muscles
Weak muscle strengthening exercises.
Electrical stimulation of weak muscles.
Sensory stimulation exercises.
Range of motion exercises to prevent joint stiffness and maintain range of motion.
Hands stimulating exercises.
Occupational therapy to improve shoulder and hand function.