Cerebral Palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. CP is the most common childhood motor disability. Children with CP do not have mental retardation; they can be exceptionally bright and intelligent. About 1 in 345 children has been identified with CP according to estimates from CDC.
Cerebral Palsy happens due to brain damage before, during or after birth for various reasons or conditions. CP is more common among boys than girls, and among black children than white children.
When a child gets a diagnosis with CP it is usually devastating news for parents and caregivers. They feel lost as well as worry about the future.
At Synergy Therapeutic Group in our Southern Illinois clinic in Carbondale and Du Quoin, IL, our Physical and Occupational therapist team is highly trained in managing and treating children with CP as well as educating parents with better long term outcomes. To schedule an appointment or learn more about our services, please contact us or click here to request an appointment.
What are the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
According to the mayo clinic Signs and symptoms can vary greatly in cp. Movement and coordination problems associated with cerebral palsy include:
- Variations in muscle tone, such as being either too stiff or too floppy
- Stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity)
- Stiff muscles with normal reflexes (rigidity)
- Lack of balance and muscle coordination (ataxia)
- Tremors or involuntary movements
- Slow, writhing movements
- Delays in reaching motor skills milestones, such as pushing up on arms, sitting up or crawling
- Favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with one hand or dragging a leg while crawling
- Difficulty walking, such as walking on toes, a crouched gait, a scissors-like gait with knees crossing, a wide gait or an asymmetrical gait
- Excessive drooling or problems with swallowing
- Difficulty with sucking or eating
- Delays in speech development or difficulty speaking
- Learning difficulties
- Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as buttoning clothes or picking up utensils
- Seizures
Cerebral palsy can affect the whole body, or it might be limited primarily to one limb or one side of the body. The brain disorder causing cerebral palsy doesn’t change with time, so the symptoms usually don’t worsen with age.
However, as the child gets older, some symptoms might become more or less apparent. And muscle shortening and muscle rigidity can worsen if not treated aggressively.
Diagnosis and treatment of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is usually diagnosed by your healthcare provider. But starting early physical /occupational therapy is the best course of action. Remember cp is primarily a mortar (movement) disorder who could be better suited to manage and treat other than physical and occupational therapists ? Your physical therapist or occupational therapist will thoroughly evaluate the child to find the deficits and plan an individualized course of action keeping your goals in mind.
Call us today at one of our offices to speak with one of our licensed physical and occupational therapists in Carbondale or Du Quoin, IL, or fill out the form here to schedule your first appointment!