Cerebral Palsy: 15 main symptoms of cerebral palsy

Cerebral Palsy - a group of movement disorders that occur as a result of damage to different brain structures in the periparturient period. Sometimes, the first symptoms of the disease become apparent immediately after birth. Signs of cerebral palsy begin to manifest themselves in infancy.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

The disease occurs due to exposure of damaging factors on the central nervous system of the child during birth and in the first month of his life. These factors result in abnormal development or death of certain parts of the brain.

Causes of intrauterine development of cerebral palsy

• Premature detachment of the placenta;
• Nephropathy pregnant;
• Fetoplacental insufficiency;
• Toxicosis;
• Infection during pregnancy (rubella, herpes, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus);
• Rhesus-conflict;
• Fetal hypoxia;
• Threat of abortion;
• Somatic diseases in the mother (diabetes, heart disease, hypothyroidism, hypertension);
• Trauma during pregnancy.

Reasons causing cerebral palsy during childbirth

• Violations during childbirth;
• Narrow pelvis;
• Premature birth;
• Breech presentation;
• Large fruit weight;
• Rapid childbirth;
• Birth trauma.

The causes of cerebral palsy after birth

• Newborn asphyxia;
• Aspiration of amniotic fluid;
• Abnormal development lungs;
• Hemolytic disease of the newborn.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy

The disease has different symptoms. They depend on the degree of damage and its localization in the brain. The first signs may be visible immediately after birth, but in most cases the symptoms of cerebral palsy appear a few months later, when there is a clear lag in the child's physical and mental development.

The main symptoms of cerebral palsy

• Abnormal muscle tone. Tension may be too strong (spastic) or, conversely, muscles weaken (hypotension). At muscle hypotension occur weakness, tremors, frequent falls;
• Pareses. May affect one side of the body or all of a limb. Paretic limbs behind in development, may be thinner and shorter than normal. Appear typical skeletal deformities - chest deformation, scoliosis;
• Pain syndrome. It develops as a result of bone deformities. The pain is localized to the back, neck, feet, shoulders;
• Violation of swallowing. Arises as a result paresis of the muscles of the pharynx and larynx. The children have problems with food intake. Newborn babies do not and can suck a breast or bottle, older children have difficulty swallowing, may be observed a drooling;
• Speech disorder. Develops due to nervous disorders, or paresis of the lips, tongue, throat, vocal cords;
• Abnormal movement. Uncontrolled and abrupt movements of the patient. A child can do unnatural postures, grimace;
• Joint contractures - manifested in the form of limited, tight movements in joints;
• Mental retardation and mental development - manifested in the form of perceptual disturbances, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, oligophrenia.  Occurs not at all children;
• Spastic syndrome (in 20 - 30% of children with cerebral palsy). Seizures may occur in early childhood or years after the onset of illness;
• Partial or complete loss of hearing. It occurs quite often;
• Visual impairment. The most common ophthalmic disorders in cerebral palsy are strabismus and myopia;
• Problems with teeth - tooth decay due to developmental abnormalities of tooth enamel and difficulties at cleaning a teeth;
• Involuntary urination and defecation. Due to the weak control of the relevant muscle groups.
• Functional gastrointestinal disorders;
• Endocrine disorders. It manifested in the form of childhood obesity or degeneration, hypothyroidism, delayed growth and sexual maturation.

Treatment of cerebral palsy

To cure the disease completely impossible, but active comprehensive rehabilitation activities help to develop motor, intellectual and speech skills.

Maximum effort the rehabilitation of cerebral palsy should be make at the age of 8 years, since at this time the brain is developing most actively.

Rehabilitation therapy includes:

• Physical therapy - daily.
• Massage (classic, pinpoint, segmental).
• Technical equipment - orthoses, walkers, inserts in shoes, wheelchairs, crutches, to compensate for movement disorders.
• Speech therapy.

In the treatment of cerebral palsy is used:

• Electrostimulation;
• Thermal treatments;
• Hydrotherapy;
• Mud therapy;
• Coniferous, oxygen, iodine and bromine, radon baths;
• Hippotherapy, dolphin therapy;
• For relief of symptoms and complications of treatment IS used medical therapy;
• Surgical treatment of cerebral palsy (tenotomy, surgery to lengthen bones, tendon transplant, spinal rhizotomy, brain surgery).

Great value in the treatment of cerebral palsy is attached to the program of social adaptation of the child. Rehabilitologists, psychologists, teachers are working so that the child has mastered the skills of self, psychological support.

How to prevent cerebral palsy

• Prevention of the disease includes:
• Correct management of pregnancy;
• Observance of the pregnant woman healthy lifestyle;
• Preventing the development of fetal hypoxia;
• Selecting an appropriate mode of delivery;
• The use of forceps and other auxiliary tools in childbirth only in extreme cases.