Cerebral Palsy

Description:

Cerebral palsy means 'brain paralysis'. It is a condition in which part of the brain that controls movement and body position is damaged.

A baby with CP is often limp and floppy or may even seem normal. The child is slow to hold up his head, to sit, or to move, and he or she may cry a lot, seem fussy or irritable, appear restless, and have abnormal reflexes. Seizures occur in some children. Children with cerebral palsy may also have other disorders such as epilepsy, mental retardation, growth problems, and impaired hearing and/or vision. They can range from being a child that has such a mild disability that one might not be aware of their difficulty, to an individual with loss of sensation and mobility in both the upper and lower body who needs continual care and assistance for even the most basic of needs. The child may lack the ability to communicate or walk but may have the same intelligence level as those without the condition. We must remember that all of these individuals have the same emotions as the rest of us.

Cause:

The damage can happen before the baby is born, at birth, or in infancy. Once damaged, the parts of the brain do not recover, nor do they get worse.

Common causes include:

Cerebral infection caused by meningitis
Seizures from rapid increase in body temperature often caused by Malaria
Lack of iodine in the diet
Exposure to infectious diseases such as encephalitis, tetanus, measles, syphilis, etc.
Malnutrition in the mother during pregnancy or the child at infancy
Mother’s exposure to mind altering toxins during pregnancy
Premature birth
Seizures in the mother during pregnancy
Alcohol and/or cigarette smoking by the mother during pregnancy
Exposure to Methyl mercury
Loss of oxygen to the infant immediately before or during birth (umbilical cord complications, rupture of the uterus, hemorrhage, etc.)

Treatment:

Cerebral palsy cannot be cured. However, it will not get worse over time and early treatment can often improve the child’s capabilities. No two people with Cerebral Palsy are exactly the same. Each of their brains has been affected in its own way. Therefore treatment options are multiple and varied depending on how the child is affected. Except for drugs to control seizures, medicines usually do not help. Surgery is sometimes useful for correcting resistant contractures (an abnormal, often permanent shortening, as of muscle or scar tissue that results in distortion or deformity, especially of a joint of the body).

A variety of therapies and provision of assistance equipment are the best “treatments” for this condition. Again this is dependent on how the brain has been affected.

Prevention:

The chances of having a child with cerebral palsy in Kenya can be reduced by:

Mosquito netting to keep malaria away
Vaccinations against infection diseases
Good nutrition for the pregnant mother and child
Pregnant mothers staying away from alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.
Giving birth in a hospital equipped to deal with difficult births

Children with Cerebral Palsy CAN:

Think and feel just like anyone else! Children with Cerebral Palsy can find joy and happiness in their life and can bring joy and happiness into the lives of others!


	About Kupenda Children Ways to Contribute Photo Gallery News & Events Disabilities Schools Children in need of sponsorship Success Stories Autism Blindness or Vision Loss Cerebral Palsy Clubfoot Deafness or Hearing Loss Down syndrome Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hydrocephalus Microcephalus (Microcephaly) Spina Bifida Rare Disabilities Cerebral Palsy Description: Cerebral palsy means 'brain paralysis'. It is a condition in which part of the brain that controls movement and body position is damaged. A baby with CP is often limp and floppy or may even seem normal. The child is slow to hold up his head, to sit, or to move, and he or she may cry a lot, seem fussy or irritable, appear restless, and have abnormal reflexes. Seizures occur in some children. Children with cerebral palsy may also have other disorders such as epilepsy, mental retardation, growth problems, and impaired hearing and/or vision. They can range from being a child that has such a mild disability that one might not be aware of their difficulty, to an individual with loss of sensation and mobility in both the upper and lower body who needs continual care and assistance for even the most basic of needs. The child may lack the ability to communicate or walk but may have the same intelligence level as those without the condition. We must remember that all of these individuals have the same emotions as the rest of us. Cause: The damage can happen before the baby is born, at birth, or in infancy. Once damaged, the parts of the brain do not recover, nor do they get worse. Common causes include: Cerebral infection caused by meningitis Seizures from rapid increase in body temperature often caused by Malaria Lack of iodine in the diet Exposure to infectious diseases such as encephalitis, tetanus, measles, syphilis, etc. Malnutrition in the mother during pregnancy or the child at infancy Mother’s exposure to mind altering toxins during pregnancy Premature birth Seizures in the mother during pregnancy Alcohol and/or cigarette smoking by the mother during pregnancy Exposure to Methyl mercury Loss of oxygen to the infant immediately before or during birth (umbilical cord complications, rupture of the uterus, hemorrhage, etc.) Treatment: Cerebral palsy cannot be cured. However, it will not get worse over time and early treatment can often improve the child’s capabilities. No two people with Cerebral Palsy are exactly the same. Each of their brains has been affected in its own way. Therefore treatment options are multiple and varied depending on how the child is affected. Except for drugs to control seizures, medicines usually do not help. Surgery is sometimes useful for correcting resistant contractures (an abnormal, often permanent shortening, as of muscle or scar tissue that results in distortion or deformity, especially of a joint of the body). A variety of therapies and provision of assistance equipment are the best “treatments” for this condition. Again this is dependent on how the brain has been affected. Prevention: The chances of having a child with cerebral palsy in Kenya can be reduced by: Mosquito netting to keep malaria away Vaccinations against infection diseases Good nutrition for the pregnant mother and child Pregnant mothers staying away from alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. Giving birth in a hospital equipped to deal with difficult births Children with Cerebral Palsy CAN: Think and feel just like anyone else! Children with Cerebral Palsy can find joy and happiness in their life and can bring joy and happiness into the lives of others!