Cerebral palsy degree. Cerebral palsy (CP): symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Defects and pathologies

(cerebral palsy) is a serious and insidious disease, since doctors cannot immediately identify it. Difficulties with diagnosis arise due to the fact that in the first year of life the motor activity of young patients cannot always be adequately assessed. In addition, such children are characterized by transient disorders of muscle tone and transient neurological disorders.

It is very important that all infants are regularly examined by a neurologist and pediatrician, especially if they have a history of conditions that can cause cerebral palsy. It is advisable to go for examinations to specialists monthly. Parents should also monitor the child's health. Any changes in the baby’s condition must be communicated to the doctor at the next appointment.

Stages of development of cerebral palsy

There are three stages in the development of the disease:

To achieve good results in the treatment of cerebral palsy, the pathology must be detected at an early or initial residual stage of development.

Signs of cerebral palsy: what symptoms should alert you?

The following symptoms may indicate neurological disorders and cerebral palsy:

• Delay in the child’s development of basic motor skills (the ability to hold his head up, sit and sit down, stand on his feet, etc.).
• Expressed.
• Problems with breastfeeding.
• Swallowing problems (constant choking).
• No buzzing.
• Lack of reaction to loud sounds, mother's voice in children older than 5-6 months.
• The appearance of involuntary movements, for example, nodding the head.
• Episodes of prolonged freezing.
• Cramps.

When examining a small child, a neurologist always checks for reflexes. Children with cerebral palsy retain newborn reflexes, which normally disappear after two months of age.

The older the sick child gets, the more pronounced his neurological and motor disorders become, so after a year of making the correct diagnosis and establishing the form of cerebral palsy, doctors usually have no problems.

Prognosis for cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive disease. Although it seems to parents that the condition of their sick baby is worsening every month, pathological changes in the structures of the central nervous system (CNS) do not worsen. The emergence of new health problems is caused by the child’s growth, deformation of non-functioning joints, wasting of non-functioning muscles and other factors.

How long and fulfilling the life of patients with cerebral palsy will be depends on the form of the disease and the atmosphere in which children grow and develop. If a child is properly cared for, trained with him, and undergoes regular courses of restorative therapy, the chance of improved well-being, positive dynamics and a long life is very high. Patients with mild forms of cerebral palsy, with proper rehabilitation, can graduate from school, university, master some profession and work in it.

Children with cerebral palsy are given disability not based on the presence of the disease, but on the basis of how it affects a person’s life. Medical commissions take into account whether the patient can move and care for himself independently, what is his level of mental development and learning ability.

Diagnosis of cerebral palsy

When making a diagnosis, a neurologist relies on medical history (whether the patient had birth injuries, intrauterine or birth injuries, etc.), general and neurological examination, as well as the results of instrumental studies:

• neurosonography (ultrasound scanning of the brain);
• electroencephalography;

These diagnostic methods allow doctors to study in detail the structure and functioning of the brain and identify pathological changes. There are no specific instrumental studies or tests confirming cerebral palsy.

In addition to the indicated diagnostic measures, patients with suspected cerebral palsy should undergo a consultation with an ophthalmologist, an ENT specialist, or a child psychiatrist (for older children). This is necessary to identify hearing, vision and mental disorders.

If the child is small, the neurologist cannot always make an accurate diagnosis in 1-2 visits. Therefore, in case of cerebral palsy, dynamic monitoring of the patient is very important. It allows you to determine the form of the disease and select the most appropriate treatment.

Principles of treatment of cerebral palsy

Treatment for children with cerebral palsy usually includes:

• drug therapy;
• physical therapy (physical therapy);
• physiotherapy;
• massage;
• classes with a speech therapist and psychologist;
• various rehabilitation measures.

In the most severe cases, doctors even resort to surgical treatment, which can help reduce the severity of contractures and skeletal deformities.

Drug therapy with cerebral palsy it is purely symptomatic, since it is impossible to influence changes in the central nervous system that have already occurred. Patients are prescribed drugs that reduce spasticity (antispasmodics and muscle relaxants), anticonvulsants and psychotropic drugs, vitamins and drugs that improve metabolic processes and blood circulation in the brain.

Gives good results for cerebral palsy physiotherapy. For sick children, individual sets of exercises are developed using special simulators, allowing children to expand their range of motion and learn new skills. Exercise therapy classes are very necessary to prevent the development of contractures. As a child grows up, he must continue to improve his physical development, since only hard training can teach the brain and muscles to work correctly.

From physiotherapeutic procedures with cerebral palsy, preference is given to relaxing baths, mud, and hydromassage. In general, exercises in water for patients with cerebral palsy are very useful, since in the aquatic environment they can perform movements that they cannot do on land.

Development of a child with cerebral palsy

Although cerebral palsy is an incurable disease, in no case should you give up on your child. Modern medicine and parental love can work wonders. The brain of children in the first years of life is very plastic: the function of damaged nerve cells can be taken over by other neurons, and connections between various structures of the central nervous system can be restored. The main thing is to start working on time to stimulate these compensatory mechanisms.

Fathers and mothers of children with cerebral palsy can always turn to specialized rehabilitation centers, where they will be supported psychologically, given answers to questions, given advice on the rules of caring for a special child, and also taught how to work with him at home.

Desperate parents should remember that Not even the best boarding school can replace their home for sick children. Such institutions house disabled people, not children. A child with cerebral palsy cannot be treated as a disabled person, otherwise he will remain one for the rest of his life.

Prevention of cerebral palsy

Preventive measures to prevent the development of cerebral palsy can be divided into four groups:

• those carried out before pregnancy;
• antenatal (prenatal);
• perinatal (carried out during childbirth);
• postnatal (carried out after childbirth).

At the stage of pregnancy planning a woman needs, which can cause pathology in the unborn child. If desired and there are indications, it can be done for a disease that poses a great threat to the fetus. In addition, spouses should check their overall health so that if any diseases are detected, they can be treated before conception. It is also very important to give up bad habits in advance.

After pregnancy the expectant mother must follow the recommendations of her doctor, undergo all necessary tests in a timely manner, avoid contact with infectious patients if possible, eat well and rest, do not take medications unless prescribed, and beware of dangerous chemicals and radiation.

Prevention of cerebral palsy during childbirth- this is already the task of the doctors, so if they decide what needs to be done, the pregnant woman should not resist. Carrying out an operation can prevent a lot of complications if the child is not positioned correctly in the uterus, if he has acute hypoxia, etc.

After the baby is born Neonatologists must promptly identify and treat hemolytic disease and other conditions that pose a serious threat to the central nervous system. Subsequently, parents need to take care that the newborn is not injured and is not at risk of contracting infectious diseases.

Zubkova Olga Sergeevna, medical observer, epidemiologist

In each sick child, signs of cerebral palsy may manifest differently. In some they are strongly expressed, while in others, on the contrary, they are very weak, which makes it impossible to identify the disease in time and begin comprehensive treatment.

Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls movement and muscle tone. This is why a patient with cerebral palsy has difficulty making targeted movements, that is, he cannot coordinate his movement and lags behind in development in general. Damage causing cerebral palsy can occur to a child both during childbirth and in the prenatal period.

Diagnosing cerebral palsy at the earliest stage is quite difficult. But the brain can only recover in infancy, so treatment should begin before the child reaches 3 years of age. In older children, the effectiveness of treatment depends not only on physical, but also on their mental development.

There are no trifles in raising a child

There are no little things in raising a child that do not require the attention of parents. In this process, adults should be concerned about everything and always. Especially if it concerns the baby's health. Only parents who are attentive to their child will be able to see the very first signs of a serious illness and sound the alarm in time, thereby starting such important treatment as early as possible.

With cerebral palsy, early diagnosis is especially important. What should you pay attention to and what should parents do to be confident in the health and proper development of their baby? First of all, the newborn must be carefully monitored.

It's best to take a notebook and write everything down there. What time did your baby wake up, how did he sleep, when and how much did he eat, when did he fall asleep - the first entries will be like this. Over time, you can only “take notes” of achievements: when you smiled for the first time, uttered the first sounds, began to hold your head up, push off from a table or floor, tried to roll over, picked up a toy, etc. Using such records, an experienced doctor will quickly and easily determine whether your baby is developing correctly, and if not, how serious the deviations are.

Particular attention should be paid to the newborn's reflexes. At birth, children have the so-called palmo-mouth reflex, when the baby opens his mouth when he presses his palm. After the first month of life in healthy children, it disappears on its own. The persistence of this reflex for up to six months indicates obvious deviations in the baby’s development, including a signal of the presence of cerebral palsy.

In principle, you can identify deviations yourself. To do this, just find tables for the correct development of a child in a special book or on the Internet and compare your indicators with them. If there are deviations from the norm in some data, do not immediately panic. Do not forget that each child is individual and develops in his own way. In some places he may lag behind, and then quickly catch up and in some ways even get ahead of his peers. All this is normal and occurs quite often. Just stay alert and continue to watch for warning signs and actual signs of serious illness.

Another important point that requires attention is increased muscle tone in newborns. In the first months of life, it is observed to one degree or another in all babies, but by five months the so-called hypertonicity should disappear. Decreased muscle tone when the child is too lethargic is also a deviation from the norm. If lethargy can be noticed with the naked eye, then to determine hypertonicity it is enough to try to move the baby’s legs in different directions. If this is possible without any problems and does not cause pain to the child, then there is no reason to worry. When the muscles are very tense and it is impossible to move the arms and legs apart, this is already an alarming symptom of cerebral palsy.

The mental development of the baby also plays an important role. It changes every day and is constantly updated with new achievements. At first, the child silently studies the world around him, then cooing appears, the baby pronounces the first sounds, syllables, then words and whole sentences. Too long silence of a child, who by the age of 1-2 years does not even try to repeat something or pronounce a word on his own, also indicates serious deviations in his development.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy manifest themselves not only in the child’s psyche, but also in his physical condition. One of them is an asymmetry in his body, when, for example, one arm is more mobile than the other. The same can happen with the legs, which, moreover, may differ from each other in thickness. A sick child often and suddenly shudders, stares at one point for a long time, with his gaze fixed. He may suddenly develop strabismus or asymmetry of the pupils. Even excessive sweating and frequent choking can indicate a possible case of cerebral palsy, so they should be taken very seriously. It’s better to go to the doctor once again, get checked and, if necessary, start treatment, than to suffer for the rest of your life. The most visible results in the treatment of cerebral palsy can be achieved only with proper and comprehensive treatment in the early stages of the disease.

Stages of development

In medicine, it is customary to distinguish the following stages of development of cerebral palsy:

• early;
• initial residual;
• late residual.

Each stage has age criteria and its own set of characteristic symptoms. For example, cases of the disease in children under five months of age are usually considered to be at an early stage. At this stage, it can be quite difficult to identify anything, so parents of newborns need to be very careful about their children.

Characteristic signs of cerebral palsy in a newborn at an early stage are serious disturbances in muscle tone and developmental delays. For example, a 4-month-old child should try to reach a toy with his hands and turn his head when he hears a sound nearby. The absence of these skills indicates developmental deviations, which may be the first signs of developing cerebral palsy in a baby.

You should also pay attention to the child’s motor activity. Often, parents consider their baby to be simply hyperactive, while their children suffer from seizures - another symptom of the early stages of cerebral palsy in newborns.

The initial residual stage is characterized by a child's developmental delay. Patients are usually between 6 months and 3 years of age. You should be wary if a child at 7 months cannot sit independently and his grasping reflex, characteristic of newborns in the first months of life, has not disappeared.

At the last – late residual – stage, late symptoms of cerebral palsy appear. These include seizures, skeletal deformation, limited mobility, various visual impairments, hearing, speech, dental pathologies, as well as difficulty swallowing and strong muscle tone.

Causes of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy occurs due to serious damage to the central nervous system and brain, and such a disorder can occur both during pregnancy and during childbirth.

It is believed that the majority of disabled children suffer from cerebral palsy. Despite this, the exact causes of the disease are always difficult to identify. Each case proceeds differently and requires an individual approach to treatment.

What is known is that these disorders occur due to various pathological processes in the baby’s body. The reasons for their appearance are different, for example,

• chronic and prolonged oxygen starvation;
• incompatibility of mother and child by blood when they have different Rhesus;
• infectious diseases that occur in the mother in the early stages of pregnancy (ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, herpes, etc.) or in infancy in the baby;
• exposure to strong electromagnetic radiation during pregnancy;
• improper management of childbirth, in which the newborn receives various injuries, etc.

There may be several causes of cerebral palsy, although one of them is necessarily the leading one, and the rest only intensify future disorders and determine the type of disease.

Types of cerebral palsy

It is customary to distinguish several types of cerebral palsy, which differ in their characteristic symptoms and the degree of damage to the brain and nervous system.

1. Diplegic form. Damage to the central nervous system occurs even in the prenatal period. The first manifestations are characterized by sharp increases in muscle tone, when the newborn’s legs are always extended or crossed with each other. The child is inactive and does not even try to roll over or sit up. The lag occurs both in general physical and intellectual development. When they try to put a sick baby on his feet, the muscles immediately react with a sharp increase in tone. The child walks on tiptoes, relying only on the toes and not on the foot. When walking, he puts one foot in front of the other and his knees are very close to each other.
2. Hemiplegic form. It occurs as a result of an intrauterine infection or due to hemorrhage during childbirth, when one of the hemispheres of the brain is damaged. In sick children, the muscles are constantly in a tense state, which limits their movements and causes involuntary movements in certain parts of the body.
3. Hyperkinetic form. It often develops due to immune incompatibility between mother and baby, when the child’s subcortical nerve nodes are affected during pregnancy or childbirth. This form of cerebral palsy is characterized by awkward movements of the patient when he takes uncomfortable and difficult positions. Everything happens due to instability of muscle tone, which either increases, then decreases, or returns to normal.

Manifestation of cerebral palsy in children under one year of age

The condition of a newborn baby should always be treated with great attention, especially if pregnancy and childbirth were difficult, and the child was born prematurely and has a low weight.

Although in children with cerebral palsy, symptoms begin to appear somewhere between one year of age and older, some signs can be seen during the first year of life. The following symptoms may indicate a possible disease and existing developmental abnormalities:

• the newborn has difficulty sucking and swallowing food;
• does not react to a loud sound, when children already at the age of one month should blink when they hear a sound nearby, and at 4 months they should turn their heads in its direction;
• does not try to reach toys at 4 months;
• often repeats the same movements or freezes in one position or another;
• the muscles are so tense that it is impossible to turn his head in the opposite direction and spread his legs;
• when the child lies in an uncomfortable position for a long time and does not try to roll over to the other side;
• does not like to lie on his stomach, squirms when he is turned over.

The severity of certain symptoms in a sick child directly depends on the depth of damage to his brain. Depending on how early the disease was detected and treated, the general condition of the child will change.

It is almost impossible to identify the disease before 6 months. For example, signs of cerebral palsy at 3 months may resemble ordinary small deviations from the norm, which are typical for many.

At 6 months, the symptoms of cerebral palsy appear much more expressively than in an infant. This can be explained by the fact that by 6 months the child is already quite developed and can do a lot of things. For example, his reflexes become conditioned, and automatic walking and opening of the mouth when pressing on the palm, characteristic of newborns, disappear. If not, then this is an alarming sign that indicates a possible pathology of the brain and nervous system.

Such deviations as:

• periodic seizures;
• the child later begins to crawl and also walk;
• the child’s movements are clumsy and he often uses only one side of his body;
• strabismus and muscle hypertonicity;
• by 7 months cannot sit without support;
• turns his head away when he puts something to his mouth;
• by 1 year does not make sounds, does not walk, or walks on fingers, etc.

Treatment

Treatment of cerebral palsy always occurs comprehensively and continuously. The earlier it was started, the better results can be achieved. It is believed that the most visible results can only be achieved by treating a disease that was identified in the first months of life, which is very difficult to do with cerebral palsy. The brain has the ability to recover only in infancy, and this diagnosis, as a rule, is made to the child later. This explains the difficulty of timely diagnosis and the duration of treatment for cerebral palsy.

With cerebral palsy in newborns, symptoms can vary. Therefore, the treatment of infants is strictly individual and depends on the type of symptoms. First of all, it is aimed at preventing further development of the disorder. Infants are prescribed medications that can reduce intracranial pressure. As a rule, magnesium is injected intramuscularly, and mixtures containing diacarb and citral are dripped into the mouth. The child is also given B vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the brain.

Great attention is paid to stimulating the development of the nervous system. For this purpose, medications such as Aminalon, Nootropil, glutamic acid, etc. are prescribed. Convulsive symptoms are relieved with the help of Luminal, Chlorocon and Benzonal, and in case of increased excitability, sedatives are prescribed.

However, for cerebral palsy, treatment with medications alone is not enough. Special massage and physical therapy play an equally important role here. Only constant and long-term lessons will help the child learn new movements and learn to do something without outside help. Success largely depends on the perseverance of the parents, since massage and exercises must be repeated every day.

Physiotherapeutic methods are also used in treatment, such as heat and mud baths, balneotherapy, ozokerite, acupuncture, shiatsu, electrophoresis, etc.

The use of a “spiral” suit leads to good results. By stimulating the body's various capabilities, it can reduce muscle spasticity and help the child acquire new motor skills. This costume is not the only one of its kind. Orthopedic pneumatic overalls and an Adele suit can also work wonders. After using them, many disabled children took their first steps.

The mental state of the mother also plays an important role in the upbringing and treatment of a sick baby. A disabled child is often capricious and does not do exercises, does not allow massage, etc. Here you need to turn on your imagination and introduce game moments into the physical education process. For example, a child will gladly try to pick up candy from the floor than anything else, and try to help his mother in some way if she praises him for any achievements.

It is important that cerebral palsy is not a disease that tends to progress. Therefore, do not lose hope and give up! The future of a child with cerebral palsy depends entirely on the parents, on their patience, strength and desire to help their child.

Cerebral palsy (CP) - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

General characteristics of cerebral palsy

• muscle tension;
• spastic muscle contraction;
• various movements of an involuntary nature;
• gait disturbances;
• limited mobility.

In addition to motor activity disorders, cerebral palsy may be accompanied by pathologies of vision, hearing and speech activity. Very often, cerebral palsy is combined with various forms of epilepsy and disorders of mental and mental development. Children also have disturbances in perception and sensation. Due to these disorders, people with cerebral palsy have certain problems with eating, involuntary urination and feces, difficulty breathing due to incorrect body position, the formation of bedsores and difficulties in perceiving information, which affect learning.

Causes of cerebral palsy

1. Disturbance in the development of brain structures.

2. Chronic lack of oxygen (hypoxia, ischemia) during fetal development and childbirth.

3. Intrauterine infections (most often caused by herpes viruses).

4. Various variants of incompatibility between the blood of mother and fetus (for example, Rh conflict) with the formation of hemolytic disease of newborns.

5. Trauma to brain structures during fetal development and childbirth.

6. Infectious diseases involving the brain in early infancy.

7. Toxic damage to brain structures (for example, poisoning with heavy metal salts).

8. Incorrect labor management tactics.

• Genetic causes– any damage to the chromosomes of the father and mother can lead to the formation of cerebral palsy in the child.
• Oxygen starvation of the brain, which can develop both during pregnancy and during childbirth (for example, placental insufficiency, fetal hypoxia, etc.).
• Infectious causes are associated with an infant’s illness with meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis or arachnoiditis in the first months of life. These diseases can lead to the formation of cerebral palsy if they occur in a severe form, against a background of high temperature, with a large number of leukocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid and the presence of a causative microbe.
• Poisoning is associated with the negative impact of poisons or strong medications on the body of a child or pregnant woman. This factor, as a rule, has a strong influence when a pregnant woman has harmful working conditions or comes into contact with radioactive or chemical substances. Poisoning is also possible when taking potent medications during pregnancy.
• Physical reasons associated with the negative effects of electromagnetic fields on the fetus during pregnancy. This could be an x-ray, radiation damage, etc.
• Mechanical reasons associated with birth trauma.

The cause of cerebral palsy is often attributed to various vascular pathologies, which is incorrect. Since the baby’s blood vessels are very soft, elastic, and pliable, they simply cannot rupture on their own. It is precisely because of this circumstance that the vascular cause is actually traumatic, since damage to a child’s blood vessels is possible only as a result of a strong traumatic effect. It is very important to establish the cause of the development of cerebral palsy, since this determines the further tactics of treatment and education of the child.

Characteristic signs of cerebral palsy - symptoms of the disease

1. Early (up to 5 months).

2. Initial residual (from six months to 3 years).

3. Late residual (over 3 years).

• Delayed development of the child (does not hold his head, does not roll over, does not reach out with his hands to various objects, does not sit independently, does not crawl, does not walk).
• Grasping and other children's reflexes that persist beyond the age of six months.
• Preferential use of only one upper limb, which is associated with abnormal muscle tone on the second hand, which is not used in games.

These early symptoms of cerebral palsy can have varying degrees of severity - from almost imperceptible to conspicuous. The severity of the disorders depends on the volume of brain tissue affected. For example, pathological muscle tone can manifest itself in excessive tension or, conversely, relaxation. Tension is increased muscle tone, expressed in the limbs adopting a forced, uncomfortable position (for example, crossed legs like scissors). Relaxation - decreased muscle tone - on the contrary, leads to dangling limbs and an inability to hold a pose. Due to pathological muscle tone, the movements of a child with cerebral palsy are characterized by the following signs:

• excessive sharpness;
• suddenness;
• slow and worm-like;
• uncontrollable;
• completely aimless.

All other symptoms of cerebral palsy are classified as late. Let's consider the most characteristic and common signs of cerebral palsy:

1. Skeletal deformity– characterized by shortening of the limb on the affected side. If the problem is left unattended, scoliosis and curvature of the pelvic bones subsequently develop.

2. Joint contractures– the symptom is characterized by stiffness and limited range of motion. In this situation, uneven compression of the joint occurs due to differences in the tone and strength of the various muscles surrounding it.

3. Convulsions are a particular symptom that manifests itself in the first months of life, or some time after the development of cerebral palsy itself. Often, seizures are difficult to distinguish from pathological motor activity.

4. Swallowing disorder develops as a result of inadequate work, and the lack of correct and combined interaction of the various muscles taking part in this process. The baby sucks poorly, has problems eating and drinking, and is unable to control salivation. Therefore, a consequence of swallowing disorders in children with cerebral palsy is involuntary drooling.

5. Hearing impairment expressed in the fact that the child does not perceive a variety of surrounding sounds, which greatly affects the delay in the development of speech skills.

6. Speech Impairment– is formed due to the inability to coordinate precise and subtle movements of the lips, tongue and throat. Muscle tone is impaired, and children are unable to control the work of the lips, tongue and throat, and therefore are unable to reproduce normal sounds, which makes speech very difficult.

8. Dental disorders expressed in susceptibility to caries, pathology of the position of individual teeth, problems with cleaning and pathological structure of the enamel.

9. Mental retardation may not occur in all children with cerebral palsy. A person’s disability depends precisely on the level of intellectual development. The higher the mental ability of a person suffering from cerebral palsy, the lower the degree of disability.

10. Disorders of urination and defecation are caused by the uncontrolled work of various muscles involved in performing these physiological actions.

11. Impaired movement and muscle tone. All the child’s movements seem completely clumsy, awkward, loose, and are performed jerkily and uncoordinated. All movements are performed slowly and look like a worm. In addition, cerebral palsy is manifested by the following disorders of muscle movements in the child:

• convulsions of varying severity;
• the muscles look very tense or relaxed;
• lack of a blink reflex in response to loud sounds;
• over 4 months does not turn his head towards the source of the sound;
• older than 4 months cannot reach toys with their hands;
• over 7 months unable to sit independently;
• at 1 year and older does not pronounce individual words;
• pronounced use of predominantly right or left hand before age 12;
• strabismus;
• gait is difficult, steps are difficult, stiffness is visible;
• When walking, the child stands only on his toes, and not on his entire foot.

Forms of cerebral palsy

1. Spastic form of cerebral palsy (spastic tetraplegia, diplegia, hemiplegia).

2. Dyskinetic form.

3. Ataxic form.

4. Mixed forms of cerebral palsy.

5. Unspecified form.

Spastic tetraplegia

Spastic diplegia

Hemiplegic form

Dyskinetic (hyperkinetic) form

Ataxic form

• decreased muscle tone;
• trembling of limbs;
• disturbance of voluntary movements and speech.

Such children, as a rule, suffer from moderate mental retardation.

Mixed forms

Diagnostics

Features of children with cerebral palsy

1. Disruption of the normal structure of the tissues of the central nervous system.

2. Restricted independence due to the inability to move freely and only partial ability for self-care.

Treatment of cerebral palsy and principles of rehabilitation

• physiotherapy;
• massage sessions;
• medications aimed at normalizing muscle tone (for example, Baclofen, Mydocalm, Dysport, etc.).

In addition, the following methods and techniques have a proven positive effect in the treatment of cerebral palsy:

• Voight method;
• Bobath therapy;
• load suits “Adele” and “Gravistat”;
• Atlant pneumatic suit;
• speech therapy techniques;
• assistive devices (for example, walkers, chairs, stand-up machines, bicycles, exercise equipment, etc.).

If pathological changes in muscle structure cannot be corrected by the above methods, then surgical treatment is resorted to. Surgical interventions provide plastic surgery of tendons and muscles, which returns the tissues to their normal shape and structure. Contractures are also surgically removed. If it is possible to correct disorders in the tissues of the nervous system, then neurosurgical interventions are performed, for example, spinal cord stimulation, removal of affected areas, etc.

Working with children with cerebral palsy

Massage and exercise therapy

• stretching;
• muscle relaxation and decreased tone;
• increasing the amplitude and range of muscle movements of various parts of the body;
• strengthening the muscles involved in the movements of various parts of the body;
• exercises to develop muscle endurance;
• training of a normal muscle stereotype for proper walking;
• balance training by walking on inclined planes;
• exercises to increase muscle strength.

Massage and exercise therapy according to D. Sandakov - video

Treatment methods for cerebral palsy

Application therapy for cerebral palsy: Lyapko applicators - video

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Signs of cerebral palsy in children under 1 year of age

First signs and delayed symptoms of cerebral palsy in newborns

Infantile cerebral palsy is a group of non-progressive diseases of a chronic nature, which are manifested by various impairments of motor functions as a result of brain damage. But this is not a hereditary pathology, but an acquired one.

However, the effect of etiological factors can manifest itself during intrauterine development (due to intrauterine infection, obstetric pathology of the mother, fetal hypoxia and other teratogenic factors).

Brain damage can occur during childbirth or in the first weeks after birth (as a result of central nervous system infections or Rhesus conflict).

Cerebral palsy does not progress, that is, brain damage does not worsen over time, and motor defects can be partially corrected. However, in the absence of appropriate methodological exercises and care, children may experience severe complications.

The first signs that should alert you

Symptoms of cerebral palsy are not always detected immediately after the birth of a child, as signs may become obvious in infancy. It is important to notice them in the early stages and consult a specialist to make or refute the diagnosis.

Basically, signs of cerebral palsy in newborns at an early age are practically invisible, but with the gradual development of the nervous system, the symptoms begin to increase.

Parents should be alert if the following primary symptoms appear:

• if the child does not fix his head well;
• manifestation of weakness in certain muscle groups;
• the child does not crawl, does not grasp objects in his hands, does not move;
• no rollovers from stomach to back;
• there are unconditioned reflexes, which normally disappear after 3-6 months of life;
• manifestation of pathological spasticity or increased tone;
• presence of seizures;
• the presence of pathological movements (clumsy, uncontrolled or sudden), dysfunction of the pelvic area;
• possible mental retardation;
• difficulties with vision, hearing and speech.

In infants, symptoms may manifest themselves in the form of freezing in one position, involuntary movements (nodding the head or lack of contact).

You should know that the level of severity of symptoms is related to the depth of brain damage; it can manifest itself as mild clumsiness when moving, as well as mental retardation and severe paresis.

In most cases, specialists are not able to establish an accurate diagnosis for a child under one year old, even in the presence of pronounced symptoms of pathology (depressed reflexes, increased excitability, etc.).

The child’s brain has high compensatory abilities that can eliminate the bulk of the consequences of brain damage.

A specialist can confirm the diagnosis if the child does not sit at the age of more than 1 year, does not walk or talk independently, or has mental disorders.

Increasing symptoms in newborns

When the brain is damaged, the following types of movement disorders can develop:

• primary brain disorders;
• changes in brain cells, the initial state of which was normal.

When exposed to damaging factors, various defects of nerve cells can be observed. The cause of the process may be the vulnerability of brain structures, the development of which at this moment is intensive. Therefore, some children with cerebral palsy may experience disturbances in arm movements, others - coordination or leg movements.

The majority of cases of cerebral palsy in children born before 33 weeks are associated with imperfect arteries and immature brain cells. In full-term healthy babies, with minor oxygen starvation, blood is distributed so that the brain is not affected.

In children with low weight, such a mechanism is absent, and with hypoxia, death of some parts of the brain with the formation of cavities can be observed.

In medical practice, there are several stages of development of cerebral palsy:

Each stage has its own age indicators and a set of specific symptoms. For example, early stage diseases include children under 5 months of age. At the same time, identifying pathology is very difficult, which is why parents should treat their child with special care.

Characteristic symptoms of cerebral palsy at the early stage of infant development include severe developmental delay and impaired muscle tone. At this age, the child should turn his head and grab a toy.

But if he does not do this, then the lack of such skills may indicate a developmental disorder, which may be the first sign of a disorder.

You need to pay attention to the child’s motor activity. Sometimes parents think that their child is hyperactive, but he may have seizures, which are another sign of pathology.

Characteristic details of the residual initial stage are the baby’s developmental lag when his age is 0.5-3 years. Already at 7 months, the child may not sit, showing a grasping reflex that should no longer exist.

The residual late stage of cerebral palsy is determined by skeletal deformation, convulsions, impaired visual function, limited mobility, decreased hearing, speech, strong muscle tone, difficulty swallowing, or dental pathologies.

Symptoms based on the form of the disorder

There are several types of cerebral palsy, differing in symptoms, level of damage to the nervous system and brain:

Parents should be attentive to the child’s condition so as not to miss the first symptoms of cerebral palsy in the newborn in the early stages of its development. Signs of the disease should be monitored if there was a problematic pregnancy, childbirth, or the mother suffered from illness.

If you start treatment for a child under 3 years of age, then in 75% of situations, cerebral palsy is reversible. And when treating older children, recovery is associated with their mental development. Cerebral palsy has no tendency to progress, therefore, if only the motor system is affected, and in the absence of organic brain damage, excellent results can be achieved in its treatment.

Signs of cerebral palsy in newborns

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder caused by permanent damage to a child's brain during fetal development, birth, or early development. The most common problems relate to coordination of movements of varying degrees of severity or muscle weakness. In some cases, there are seizures, problems with vision and hearing. Children with cerebral palsy often acquire the ability to spin, sit, crawl and walk at a later age than their healthy peers. About a third progress to seizures. Symptoms of the disease may become more noticeable as the child gets older, but this does not mean that the disease is progressing.

According to statistics, cerebral palsy is most often found in premature babies or children with low birth weight for other reasons (42% of all cases of cerebral palsy), twins or triplets (11%). In addition, it is observed slightly more often in boys than in girls – 57% versus 43%.

When can cerebral palsy be diagnosed in a child?

Cerebral palsy can be diagnosed as early as one month of age, but this happens very rarely. This is explained by the fact that clinical signs of pathology develop in parallel with the development of the human nervous system. Therefore, the diagnosis of cerebral palsy, as a rule, requires several visits to a pediatrician and a pediatric neurologist, who, based on the dynamics of the child’s motor development, may suspect abnormalities. In addition, diagnostic time frames are often needed for different types of cerebral palsy.

In most cases, cerebral palsy in newborns (the first 4 weeks of life) cannot be detected, but pathology is noticed already in infants (children under one year old).

Parents are often the first to notice signs of cerebral palsy in a child under one year old. In fact, in% of cases, deviations in the child’s development are initially noticed by the parents themselves. However, doctors should do regular and appropriate examinations of all infants and young children.

If there is any suspicion that the baby's brain has suffered from oxygen deprivation, which may be caused by problems with the placenta, uterine diseases, infectious diseases, a long, rapid or difficult labor process, then an MRI should be performed soon after birth to assess any potential brain damage brain MRIs should be performed at regular intervals so that doctors can monitor the severity of cerebral ischemia.

Signs of cerebral palsy in a child

The symptoms caused by cerebral palsy tend to be comparable in severity to the severity of brain damage.

Early signs of cerebral palsy

The most common early sign of cerebral palsy in children under one year of age is delayed motor development. Parents notice that the child:

• starts to hold his head up late or does it poorly;
• does not pay attention to bright sounds and toys, does not try to reach the toy;
• does not roll over from back to stomach and from stomach to back;
• does not sit without support;
• does not try to crawl, stand at a support, try to walk by hand or independently, or lags behind in these skills in terms of timing.

1. Reflexes of a newborn.

Certain reflexes that are present in a newborn child normally fade away with age. But in children with cerebral palsy, the physiological reflexes of a newborn are preserved for a very long time (Galant reflex, Moro reflex, grasping reflex, proboscis reflex and others). In order to check them, you need a mandatory visit to a pediatric neurologist at 1, 3 and 6 months.

Examples of some reflexes that newborns should have and disappear after a few months. Their longer presence may be a sign of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy in children under one year of age primarily affects muscle tone, gross and fine motor functions. Early signs of cerebral palsy are associated with dysfunction of the muscles of the mouth and face. Parents may independently discover problems with the child's feeding, swallowing, and ability to express emotions on the face.

The child cannot sit down without the support of his hands. Since the strength of contractions of different muscles differs, there is a skew in the position of the torso, head and limbs, while the latter are very often located asymmetrically relative to each other.

The child shows a lack of interest and eye contact with parents and bright objects. Strabismus occurs very often.

1. Hearing impairment.
2. Seizures (also associated with hypoxic brain damage).

Later signs of cerebral palsy

Limitation of the degree of mobility in general, the ability to lift, crawl, stand, and balance the body.

The child cannot grasp small objects and hold them between the index finger and thumb. Hold and use pencils and turn pages.

1. Mental retardation (not typical for all forms of cerebral palsy).
2. Speech impairment (due to poor coordination of the muscles of the mouth, tongue and facial muscles).
3. Joint contractures (incomplete flexion or extension).
4. Hearing loss
5. Disorders of defecation and urination.

Signs of cerebral palsy in infants and infants by week

2 months and older

• There are difficulties in controlling the head when lifting.
• Stiff legs that cross or become #171;scissor#187; when lifted.
• Rigid or shaky hands and/or feet.
• There are problems with feeding (weak sucking, stubborn tongue, difficulty biting when lying on the back or stomach).

6 months and older

• Continues to have poor head control when lifting.
• Can extend only one hand, clenching the other into a fist.
• There are problems with eating.
• May be unable to roll over without assistance.

10 months and older

• Moves with difficulty, pushing off with one arm and leg and dragging the opposite arm and leg.
• Doesn't babble.
• Unable to sit down or sit independently.
• Doesn't respond to his own name.

12 months and older

• Doesn't crawl or try to pull itself up.
• Unable to stand without support.
• Doesn't look for things that are hidden so that he can see them.
• Doesn't speak individual words like #171;mom#187; or #171;dad#187;.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing cerebral palsy is a very labor-intensive and complex process. In addition to monitoring the child, ultrasound of the brain, EEG, EchoEG, and MRI of the brain are required.

When treating cerebral palsy, the main principle is that the earlier the diagnosis is made, the greater success in treatment can be achieved. Children have a much higher regenerative capacity than adults.

The point of application during treatment is muscle development, massage, exercise therapy, gymnastics, horseback riding, and alpine skiing. Parents who do not despair and deal with this problem achieve excellent results. With cerebral palsy, treatment is a parallel process of life throughout. A large number of people with cerebral palsy can lead acceptable lives as adults. The most important thing is to know the problem in person and then it will be easier to deal with it!

What are the signs of cerebral palsy in an infant?

Cerebral palsy, or cerebral palsy in a newborn baby, most often occurs due to brain damage during childbirth or during pregnancy of the mother. In addition, this disease, which negatively affects the baby's coordination and muscle tone, can develop in the first few months of life after birth. In such a situation, the main task of parents and doctors is the timely detection of cerebral palsy and the correct approach to treatment.

Why does cerebral palsy develop: the main reasons

As we mentioned earlier, cerebral palsy can occur in a child during intrauterine development, as well as during childbirth or several months after birth. The main causes of this disease include:

Regardless of the reason why a child develops cerebral palsy, in 75 percent of cases the disease can be effectively treated. However, there is one important condition. Treatment should begin no earlier than the child turns three years old. Otherwise, pathological changes in the brain will be irreversible.

That is why it is very important to promptly identify any signs of cerebral palsy in an infant and immediately consult a doctor.

Visual signs of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is not difficult to identify in the first months of life by several signs that are visible even to the naked eye. For example, the following symptoms clearly indicate the development of some pathology:

• absence of folds under the baby’s buttocks;
• there is no corresponding bend in the lumbar spine;
• the folds on the child’s legs or under the buttocks are asymmetrical.

Such deviations are instantly detected by both parents and the doctor, who is called upon to monitor the baby during the first month after birth. But cerebral palsy may well develop without these signs. Therefore, it is also important to keep a close eye on behavioral factors.

Main symptoms of cerebral palsy

Extremely attentive attitude towards the baby will help to promptly discern the symptoms of the disease described below:

Many of these symptoms may occur due to some individual characteristics of the child’s body, his significantly less mobility or special natural reflexes. Therefore, when you identify them, you should not immediately panic. Just consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and make an accurate diagnosis.

Basic methods for diagnosing cerebral palsy

A set of diagnostic procedures is determined depending on the presence of certain signs indicating the presence of the disease. In the vast majority of cases, this may include the following:

• if any symptoms of cerebral palsy are noted, an ultrasound examination of the baby’s brain is performed;
• Electroencephalography, which is carried out in the presence of convulsive muscle contractions in a newborn, allows identifying the development of cerebral palsy;
• Such studies as magnetic resonance or computed tomography of the brain make it possible to accurately diagnose and obtain a complete picture of the child’s physical condition.

If treatment is not started in a child before three years of age, the disease can progress rapidly. However, in situations where the brain was not damaged as a result of birth trauma or toxic exposure, and the symptoms of cerebral palsy manifest themselves only in the form of a violation of any motor functions, one can hope for a successful outcome of medical intervention at a later age.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a general medical term that is used to designate a group of motor disorders that progress in infants due to trauma to various areas of the brain during the peripartum period. The first symptoms of cerebral palsy can sometimes be identified after the birth of the child. But usually signs of the disease appear in infants (up to 1 year).

Etiology

Cerebral palsy in a child progresses due to the fact that certain areas of his central nervous system were damaged directly in the prenatal period of development, during the birth process, or in the first months of his life (usually up to 1 year). In fact, the causes of cerebral palsy are quite varied. But they all lead to the same thing - some areas of the brain begin to function improperly or die completely.

Causes of cerebral palsy in a child during the prenatal period:

• toxicosis;
• untimely detachment of the “baby place” (placenta);
• risk of miscarriage;
• nephropathy of pregnancy;
• trauma during childbearing;
• fetal hypoxia;
• fetoplacental insufficiency;
• the presence of somatic illnesses in the mother of the child;
• Rhesus conflict. This pathological condition develops due to the fact that the mother and child have different Rh factors, so her body rejects the fetus;
• illnesses of an infectious nature that the expectant mother suffered during pregnancy. The most potentially dangerous pathologies include;
• fetal hypoxia.

Reasons that provoke cerebral palsy during labor:

• narrow pelvis (injury to the child’s head while passing through the mother’s birth canal);
• birth injury;
• disturbance of labor activity;
• childbirth before the due date;
• heavy weight of the newborn;
• rapid labor - poses the greatest danger to the baby;
• breech presentation of the child.

Reasons for the progression of the disease in the first months of a newborn’s life:

• defects in the development of elements of the respiratory system;
• asphyxia of newborns;
• aspiration of amniotic fluid;
• hemolytic disease.

Varieties

There are 5 forms of cerebral palsy, which differ in the area of ​​brain damage:

• spastic diplegia. This form of cerebral palsy is diagnosed in newborns more often than others. The main reason for its progression is trauma to the areas of the brain that are “responsible” for the motor activity of the limbs. A characteristic sign of the development of the disease in a child under one year of age is partial or complete paralysis of the legs and arms;
• atonic-astatic form of cerebral palsy. In this case, damage to the cerebellum is observed. Signs of this type of cerebral palsy are that the patient cannot maintain balance, coordination is impaired, and muscle atony. All these symptoms appear in a baby under one year of age;
• hemiparetic form. The “target” areas of the brain are the subcortical and cortical structures of one of the hemispheres, responsible for motor activity;
• double hemiplegia. In this case, two hemispheres are affected at once. This form of cerebral palsy is the most severe;
• hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy. In most clinical situations it is combined with spastic diplegia. Develops due to damage to the subcortical centers. A characteristic symptom of the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy is the commission of involuntary and uncontrolled movements. It is noteworthy that such pathological activity can increase if a child under one year or older is worried or tired.

Classification based on the age of the child:

• early form. In this case, symptoms of cerebral palsy are observed in a newborn during the period from birth to six months;
• initial residual form. The period of its manifestation is from 6 months to 2 years;
• late residual– from 24 months.

Symptoms

Cerebral palsy has many manifestations. Symptoms of the disease directly depend on the degree of damage to brain structures, as well as on the location of the lesion in a given organ. The progression of cerebral palsy can be noticed after birth, but more often it is detected after a couple of months, when it becomes clearly visible that the newborn is lagging behind in development.

Signs of cerebral palsy in a newborn:

• the baby is not at all interested in toys;
• the newborn does not roll over on his own for a long time and does not hold his head up;
• if you try to stand the baby, he will not stand on his feet, but only on his toes;
• movements of the limbs are chaotic.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy:

• paresis. Usually only half the body, but sometimes they spread to the legs and arms. The affected limbs change - they shorten and become thinner. Typical skeletal deformities in cerebral palsy are: sternum deformity;
• violation of the tone of muscle structures. A sick child experiences either spastic tension or complete hypotension. If hypertonicity occurs, then the limbs take an unnatural position for them. With hypotension, the child is weak, tremors are observed, he may often fall, since the muscular structures of the legs do not support his body;
• severe pain syndrome. In cerebral palsy, it develops due to various bone deformations. The pain has a clear localization. It most often occurs in the shoulders, back and neck;
• disruption of the physiological process of swallowing food. This sign of cerebral palsy can be detected immediately after birth. Babies cannot fully suckle from their mother's breast, and infants do not drink from a bottle. This symptom occurs due to paresis of the muscular structures of the pharynx. This also causes drooling;
• speech dysfunction. It occurs due to paresis of the vocal cords, throat, and lips. Sometimes these elements are affected simultaneously;
• convulsive syndrome. Seizures occur at any time and at any age;
• chaotic pathological movements. The child makes sudden movements, may grimace, take certain poses, etc.;
• contractures of articular joints;
• significant or moderate decrease in hearing function;
• developmental delay. This symptom of cerebral palsy does not occur in all sick children;
• decreased visual function. Strabismus also occurs more often;
• malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract;
• the patient involuntarily releases excrement and urine;
• progression of endocrine diseases. Children with this diagnosis are often diagnosed with dystrophy, growth retardation,...

Complications

Cerebral palsy is a chronic disease, but it does not progress over time. The patient's condition may worsen if secondary pathologies occur, such as hemorrhages, somatic ailments.

Complications of cerebral palsy:

• disability;
• violation of adaptation in society;
• the occurrence of muscle contractures;
• disturbance in food consumption, as paresis affects the muscles of the pharynx.

Diagnostic measures

A neurologist diagnoses the disease. The standard diagnostic plan includes the following examination methods:

• thorough inspection. A medical specialist evaluates reflexes, visual and hearing acuity, muscle functions;
• electroencephalography;
• electroneurography;
• electromyography;

Additionally, the patient may be referred for consultations to specialists:

• speech therapist;
• ophthalmologist;
• psychiatrist;
• epileptologist.

Therapeutic measures

It should be said right away that such a pathology cannot be completely cured. Therefore, treatment of cerebral palsy is primarily aimed at reducing the manifestation of symptoms. Special rehabilitation complexes make it possible to gradually develop speech, intellectual and motor skills.

Rehabilitation therapy consists of the following activities:

• classes with a speech therapist. It is necessary for the sick child to normalize his speech function;
• Exercise therapy. A set of exercises is developed only by a specialist strictly individually for each patient. They must be performed daily for them to have the desired effect;
• Massage for cerebral palsy is a very effective method of rehabilitation. Doctors resort to segmental, pinpoint and classic types. Massage for cerebral palsy should only be performed by a highly qualified specialist;
• use of technical means. These include crutches, special inserts placed in shoes, walkers, etc.

Physiotherapeutic methods and animal therapy are also actively used in the treatment of cerebral palsy:

• hydrotherapy;
• oxygen barotherapy;
• mud treatment;
• electrical stimulation;
• warming up the body;
• electrophoresis with pharmaceuticals;
• dolphin therapy;
• hippotherapy. This is a modern treatment method based on communication between the patient and horses.

Drug therapy:

• if a child has epileptic seizures of varying degrees of intensity, then he must be prescribed anticonvulsants to stop the attacks;
• nootropic pharmaceuticals. The main purpose of their purpose is to normalize blood circulation in the brain;
• muscle relaxants. These pharmaceuticals are prescribed to patients if they have hypertonicity of muscle structures;
• metabolic agents;
• antiparkinsonian drugs;
• antidepressants;
• neuroleptics;
• antispasmodics. These drugs are prescribed to the patient for severe pain;
• analgesics;
• tranquilizers.

Medical specialists resort to surgical treatment of cerebral palsy only in severe clinical situations when conservative therapy does not have the desired effect. The following types of interventions are used:

• brain surgery. Doctors carry out the destruction of structures that cause the progression of neurological disorders;
• spinal rhizotomy. Doctors resort to this surgical intervention in cases of severe muscle hypertonicity and severe pain. Its essence lies in interrupting the pathological impulses that come from the spinal cord;
• tenotomy The essence of the operation is to create a supporting position for the affected limb. It is prescribed if the patient develops contractures;
• Sometimes specialists perform tendon or bone transplants to at least slightly stabilize the skeleton.

Cerebral palsy is a serious chronic disease. combines those that are associated with impaired human motor function. Most often, the disease affects the fetus during its intrauterine development.

Cerebral palsy is non-progressive in nature, which means that the disease does not spread within the body, does not affect healthy areas of the nervous tissue, and only specifically damages certain areas of the brain.

Appears at the age of 5 – 7 months.

The atonic-astatic form of cerebral palsy becomes more obvious after seven months. Differential diagnosis of this form is quite complicated due to the similarity of its symptoms with the symptoms of other diseases.

Until the age of six months, the baby may not notice any disorders, and only as he grows do symptoms gradually appear. Most often they are associated with mental development disorders and neurological disorders. The child experiences outbursts of unreasonable aggression and increased excitability. There are movement disorders, loss of balance.

The hyperkinetic form of the disease is determined somewhat later - by the beginning of the second year of life.

Additional diagnostics are carried out using the following instrumental methods:

• ultrasound examination of the brain;
• Craniography, etc.

The results of the study make it possible to obtain information about the depth of changes in the nervous system, determine the degree and severity of damage to a particular area of ​​the brain, and identify other disorders.

To make a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, the presence of specific movement disorders in a child at the initial stage of development of the disease is sufficient. As additional measures, studies are done, which allows you to assess the type of damage and determine the specific location of the brain damage.

Such a study is necessary in order to exclude the presence of other diseases with similar symptoms. For the same purposes, differential diagnosis is carried out.

Cerebral palsy is not a progressive disease, its symptoms do not increase over time, and the patient’s condition does not worsen over time. If the opposite happens, then most likely the disease has a different nature.

The following diseases have the same symptoms as cerebral palsy:

• traumatic and non-traumatic brain damage;
• early autism;
• phenylketonuria;
• spinal cord lesions;
• schizophrenia, etc.

Prevalence of various forms of impairment

It is a common disease. According to rough estimates, for every one thousand healthy children there are up to 3 patients with cerebral palsy. If we consider the data on the prevalence of forms of cerebral palsy, we can note that

• Among all forms, spastic diplegia is the leader,
• second place - hemiparetic form,
• third - double hemiplegia,
• fourth – atonic-astatic form,
• and finally, the fifth most common form of cerebral palsy is the hyperkinetic form of the disease.

Hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy is for girls

Boys are much more likely to suffer from spastic diplegia and double hemiplegia, while girls are more likely to suffer from the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy.

If we compare the overall ratio of boys and girls diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it turns out that boys make up 58.1%, girls – 41.9%.

Cerebral palsy is an incurable disease, but this does not mean that its treatment does not need to be treated at all.

Patients need the help of both doctors and teachers so that they can achieve the maximum possible positive results for this disease and can adapt to the environment to the extent possible. For these purposes, it is necessary to identify the disease as early as possible and begin its treatment.

Infantile cerebral palsy is a group of non-progressive diseases of a chronic nature, which are manifested by various impairments of motor functions as a result of brain damage. But this is not a hereditary pathology, but an acquired one.

However, the effect of etiological factors can manifest itself during intrauterine development (due to intrauterine infection, obstetric pathology of the mother, fetal hypoxia and other teratogenic factors).

Brain damage can occur during childbirth or in the first weeks after birth (as a result of central nervous system infections or Rhesus conflict).

In most cases, specialists are not able to establish an accurate diagnosis for a child under one year old, even in the presence of pronounced symptoms of pathology (depressed reflexes, increased excitability, etc.).

The child’s brain has high compensatory abilities that can eliminate the bulk of the consequences of brain damage.

A specialist can confirm the diagnosis if the child does not sit at the age of more than 1 year, does not walk or talk independently, or has mental disorders.

Increasing symptoms in newborns

When the brain is damaged, the following types of movement disorders can develop:

• primary brain disorders;
• changes in brain cells, the initial state of which was normal.

When exposed to damaging factors, various defects of nerve cells can be observed. The cause of the process may be the vulnerability of brain structures, the development of which at this moment is intensive. Therefore, some children with cerebral palsy may experience disturbances in arm movements, others - coordination or leg movements.

The majority of cases of cerebral palsy in children born before 33 weeks are associated with imperfect arteries and immature brain cells. In full-term healthy babies, with minor oxygen starvation, blood is distributed so that the brain is not affected.

In children with low weight, such a mechanism is absent, and with hypoxia, death of some parts of the brain with the formation of cavities can be observed.

In medical practice, there are several stages of development of cerebral palsy:

• early;
• residual initial;
• residual late.

Each stage has its own age indicators and a set of specific symptoms. For example, early stage diseases include children under 5 months of age. At the same time, identifying pathology is very difficult, which is why parents should treat their child with special care.

Characteristic symptoms of cerebral palsy at the early stage of infant development include severe developmental delay and impaired muscle tone. At this age, the child should turn his head and grab a toy.

But if he does not do this, then the lack of such skills may indicate a developmental disorder, which may be the first sign of a disorder.

You need to pay attention to the child’s motor activity. Sometimes parents think that their child is hyperactive, but he may have convulsions appear, which are another sign of pathology.

Characteristic details of the residual initial stage are the baby’s developmental lag when his age is 0.5-3 years. Already at 7 months, the child may not sit, showing a grasping reflex that should no longer exist.

The residual late stage of cerebral palsy is determined by skeletal deformation, convulsions, impaired visual function, limited mobility, decreased hearing, speech, strong muscle tone, difficulty swallowing, or dental pathologies.

Symptoms based on the form of the disorder

There are several types of cerebral palsy, differing in symptoms, level of damage to the nervous system and brain:

1. Diplegic form. The central nervous system is damaged during the prenatal period. The first manifestations include a sharp increase in muscle tone if the baby’s legs are always crossed or extended. There is little activity of the child, his reluctance to sit down or roll over. The lag occurs in intellectual and physical development. If they try to deliver a sick child, the muscles immediately react with a sharp increase in tone. The baby can also walk on tiptoes, put one foot in front of the other, and keep his knees close to each other.
2. Hemiplegic form. Occurs when an intrauterine infection occurs or hemorrhage during childbirth, when one hemisphere of the brain is affected. The muscles of sick children are constantly tense, which is why their movements are limited and become the result of involuntary movements of one or another part of the body.
3. Hyperkinetic form. The pathology develops when there is immune incompatibility between the child and the mother, when the baby’s subcortical nerve nodes are damaged in the womb or at birth. This form of cerebral palsy is characterized by awkward movements when the patient takes difficult and uncomfortable positions. The cause of the pathology is unstable muscle tone, which can decrease, increase or normalize.

Parents should be attentive to the child’s condition so as not to miss the first symptoms in the newborn in the early stages of its development. Signs of the disease should be monitored if there was a problematic pregnancy, childbirth, or the mother suffered from illness.

If you start treatment for a child under 3 years of age, then in 75% of situations, cerebral palsy is reversible. And when treating older children, recovery is associated with their mental development. Cerebral palsy has no tendency to progress, therefore, if only the motor system is affected, and in the absence of organic brain damage, excellent results can be achieved in its treatment.