Please feel free to comment,ask questions and put your input on the blog.
Also I am no skilled writer just an aspiring one.So please forgive any typos .
I shall be starting with Cerebral Palsy.I tried to
make it as short as possible,so sorry it’s still a bit long.
CEREBRAL PALSY
CEREBRAL PALSY
Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a
group of movement disorders,these conditions are not caused by problems of
nerves and muscles.This disorder affects muscle tone, movement, and motor
skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way). CP is usually
caused by brain damage that occurs before or start talking about activities.
The brain damage that leads to
cerebral palsy can also lead to secondary health issues, including vision,
hearing, and speech problems, and learning disabilities.
Complications are common factors that
interrupts normal developmental processes of the brain), during the first 3 to
5 years of a child's life.
There is no cure for CP, but
treatment, therapy, special equipments like splints and other orthortic devices and, in some cases, surgery can help a
child who is living with the condition.
About
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is one of the most
common congenital (existing before birth ,at birth or after birth) disorders of
childhood.
The three types of CP are:
- spastic cerebral palsy — causes stiffness and movement difficulties
- athetoid cerebral palsy — leads to involuntary and uncontrolled movements
- ataxic cerebral palsy — causes a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception
Cerebral palsy affects muscle
control and coordination, so even simple movements — like crawling,rolling,standing
still — are difficult. Other vital functions that also involve motor skills and
muscles — such as breathing, bladder and bowel control, eating, and learning —
may also be affected when a child has CP. Cerebral palsy does not get worse
over time.
Causes
of Cerebral Palsy
The exact causes of most cases of CP
are unknown, but many are the result of problems during pregnancy in which the
brain is either damaged or doesn't develop normally. This can be due to
infections, maternal health problems, a genetic disorder, or something else
that interferes with normal brain development. Problems during labor and
delivery can cause CP in some cases. but this is the exception.
Premature babies — particularly
those who weigh less than 3.3 pounds (1,510 grams) — have a higher risk of CP
than babies that are carried full-term, as are other low birth weight babies
and multiple births, such as twins and triplets.
Brain damage in infancy or early
childhood can also lead to CP. A baby or toddler might suffer this damage
because of lead
poisoning, bacterial meningitis,sepsis,
malnutrition,
being shaken as an infant (shaken baby
syndrome), or being in a car accident while not properly restrained.
Diagnosing
Cerebral Palsy
CP may be diagnosed very early in an
infant known to be at risk for developing the condition because of premature
birth or other health problems. Doctors, such as pediatricians and developmental
and neurological specialists, usually follow these kids closely from birth so
that they can identify and address any developmental delays or problems with
muscle function that might indicate CP.
In a baby carried to term with no
other obvious risk factors for CP, it may be difficult to diagnose the disorder
in the first year of life. Often doctors aren't able to diagnose CP until they
see a delay in normal developmental milestones (such as reaching for toys by 4
months or sitting up by 7 months), which can be a sign of CP.
Abnormal muscle tone, poorly
coordinated movements, and the persistence of infant reflexes beyond the age at
which they are expected to disappear also can be signs. If these developmental
milestones are only mildly delayed, the diagnosis of CP may not be made until
the child is a toddler.
Preventing
Cerebral Palsy
In many cases the causes of CP are
unknown, so there's no way to prevent it. But if you're having a baby, you can
take steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy and carry the baby to term, thus
lowering the risk that your baby will have CP.
Before becoming pregnant, it's
important to maintain a healthy diet and make sure that any medical problems
are managed properly. As soon as you know you're pregnant, proper prenatal
medical care (including prenatal vitamins and avoiding alcohol and illegal
drugs) is vital. If you are taking any medications, review these with your
doctor and clarify if there are any side effects that can cause birth defects.
Controlling diabetes, anemia, hypertension,
seizures, and nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can help prevent some
premature births and, as a result, some cases of cerebral palsy.
Once your baby is born there are
actions you can take to lower the risk of brain damage, which could lead to CP.
Never shake an infant, as this can lead to shaken baby syndrome and brain
damage. If you're riding in a car, make sure your baby is properly strapped
into an infant
car seat that's correctly installed — if an accident occurs, the baby will
be as protected as possible.
How Cerebral Palsy Affects Development
The brain damage that causes CP can also affect other brain functions, and can lead to other medical issues. Associated medical problems may include visual impairment or blindness, hearing loss, food aspiration (the sucking of food or fluid into the lungs), gastroesophageal reflux (spitting up), speech problems, drooling, tooth decay, sleep disorders, osteoporosis (weak, brittle bones), and behavior problems.
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Seizures, speech and communication problems, and mental retardation are more common among kids with the most severe forms of CP. Many have problems that may require ongoing therapy and devices such as braces or wheelchairs.
Treatment of Cerebral Palsy
Currently there's no cure for cerebral palsy, but a variety of resources and therapies can provide help and improve the quality of life for kids with CP.Different kinds of therapy can help them achieve maximum potential in growth and development. As soon as CP is diagnosed, a child can begin therapy for movement, learning, speech, hearing, and social and emotional development.
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Severe muscle spasticity can sometimes be helped with medication taken by mouth or administered via a pump (the baclofen pump) implanted under the skin(see your Doctor for further information)
A variety of medical specialists might be needed to treat the different medical conditions. (For example, a neurologist might be needed to treat seizures or a pulmonologist might be needed to treat breathing difficulties.)
If several medical specialists are needed, it's important to have a primary care doctor or a CP specialist help you coordinate the care of your child.
A team of professionals will work with you to meet your child's needs. That team may include therapists, psychologists, educators, nurses, and social workers.
Many resources are available to help and support you in caring for your child.
Stem cells
Stem researchers are of the opinion that traditional treatments could improve motor functions in a certain extent, but in reality they are not aimed at treating the cause of the disease.
No matter what caused cerebral palsy, there is a decrease in the number of brain nerve cells with normal function. The traditional treatments are not able to increase the number of nerve cells in the brain, neither to have the nerve damage repaired.
Through years of research and therapeutic practice, WSCMC discovered that neural stem cell implantation treatment not only can effectively increase the number of brain nerve cells, but also is able to start the re-development of the neurological process. The treatments are combined with the necessary drugs and rehabilitation, so that 80% transplanted neural cells are able to show function, so as to make the patients obtain much more improvements in neurological function.
However U.S national Institute of health is still gathering data to study the efficacy of stem cells.
Botox treatment-Best known for reducing wrinkles on the face have been discovered to relax spastic cerebral palsy.very limited researches back this claims
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy uses a special chamber, sometimes called a pressure chamber, to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. The air pressure inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is about two and a half times greater than the normal pressure in the atmosphere. This helps your blood carry more oxygen to organs and tissues in your body.
It has been used in a number of cerebral palsy cases BUT cerebral palsy is NOT one of its treatment indications.
The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society recommends that HBO2 should not be used for any other indication except in the context of controlled clinical trials. Although HBO2 is relatively safe, like stem cells until the results of a randomized, controlled trial are available, we would suggest that HBO2 not be recommended as a treatment for CP in children.
Images courtesy of: childrenshospitaltrust.org.za
actnts.com
www.rch.org.au
www.cbm.org
www.inhabitots.com
www.carseatsbaby.net
www.celebritydiagnosis.com
references
http://www.medicinenet.com/cerebral-palsy
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/cerebral_palsy.
http://www.unistemcells.com/en/treatment/treat_CerebralPalsy.htm
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2004/09/12/4715.aspx
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