What forms of cerebral palsy exist and what is their difference. What is cerebral palsy? cerebral palsy causes symptoms

Causes of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is a whole group of childhood diseases with pathologies of the central nervous system, impaired coordination of speech, movement, intellectual retardation, dysfunction of the muscular and motor systems. As the analysis showed, in most cases it is impossible to single out only one cause, which entails the occurrence of cerebral palsy. Very often, a combination of several negative factors that manifest themselves both during childbirth and during pregnancy leads to such a disease.

Many researchers have evidence that brain damage begins during fetal development in about eighty percent of cases of cerebral palsy. Intrauterine pathology in the future can be aggravated by intrapartum. The cause of this disease cannot be established in about every third case. Modern medicine knows more than four hundred factors that can affect the course of intrauterine development.

The impact on the brain of a combination of harmful factors causes the appearance of cerebral pathology in approximately 70-80% of cases. In many children, the cause of the disease is the pathology of the mother's pregnancy (various infections, impaired placental circulation, toxicosis), which can lead to insufficient development of brain structures, especially those parts of it that are responsible for maintaining body balance and the formation of reflex mechanisms.

As a result, the distribution of muscle tone occurs incorrectly in the skeleton, and pathological motor reactions begin. Birth injuries caused by types of obstetric pathology (improper structure of the pelvis and narrow pelvis of the mother, rapid or prolonged labor, weakness of labor) are only in a small number of cases the only cause that leads to brain damage in the fetus.

The severity of childbirth, in most cases, is determined by the pathology already present in the child, resulting from intrauterine damage. Hemolytic disease of the newborn, also called nuclear jaundice, can also cause cerebral palsy. This jaundice can be caused by various mechanisms - liver failure of the newborn, incompatibility of the blood of the fetus and mother according to the Rh factor or group.

In addition, chronic or acute diseases in the mother are an extremely unfavorable factor - first of all, they include rubella, diabetes mellitus, obesity, anemia, heart defects, and hypertension. Also, perinatal risk factors include the use of certain drugs during pregnancy, such as tranquilizers, and some activities related to professional activities - physical injuries, psychological discomfort, alcoholism.

The influence of various infectious agents on the fetus, especially of viral origin, has recently been given considerable importance in the etiology of cerebral palsy. Violation of the normal course of pregnancy - immunological incompatibility of the fetus and mother, threats of interruption, toxicosis - are also negative factors. Complication in childbirth. In this case, it should be borne in mind that if a child has a pathology of intrauterine development, then childbirth often has a protracted and severe course.

This creates conditions for the appearance of asphyxia and mechanical trauma to the head, which can be attributed to secondary factors that cause additional discord in the primary damaged brain. But many researchers attribute premature birth to the factors most conducive to the development of cerebral palsy. It is worth noting that cerebral palsy predominantly affects males. On average, in boys, cerebral palsy occurs 1.3 times more often and is more severe than in girls.

Forms of cerebral palsy

The classification of cerebral palsy is based on the nature and prevalence of movement disorders. There are five types of such violations:

1. Spasticity - an increase in muscle tone (its severity decreases with repeated movements).

2. Athetosis is a constant involuntary movement.

3. Rigidity - tense, tight muscles, constantly resisting passive movements.

4. Ataxia - imbalance, accompanied by frequent falls.

5. Tremor or trembling of the limbs.

In about 85% of cases, an athetoid or spastic type of disorder is observed. According to localization, four forms are distinguished:

1. Monoplegic (one limb is involved).

2. Hemiplegic (complete or partial involvement of both limbs on only one side of the body).

3. Diplegic (involving either both lower or both upper limbs).

4. Quadriplegic (full or partial involvement of all four limbs).

Symptoms of cerebral palsy

Symptoms of this disease can be detected immediately after the birth of a child, and may gradually appear in infancy. In the latter case, it is very important to identify and diagnose them as soon as possible. Doctors advise all parents to keep a special diary of the development of the child, where the main achievements of the baby will be indicated. It is very important for parents to monitor the manifestation of absolute reflexes that arise in a child after birth, and then gradually fade away.

For example, the reflex of automatic walking and the palmar-mouth reflex should disappear in 1-2 months, but if they persist for up to 4-6 months, then dysfunction of the nervous system can be suspected. In addition, it is very important to follow: the sequence and timing of speech development and the development of motor skills, the development of playing skills (for example, a lack of interest in toys). The following situations should also be noted: lack of contact with the mother, head nodding, involuntary movements, freezing in one position.

Pediatricians are not in all cases in a hurry with the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. In many cases, based on the detected specific symptoms (inhibition of reflexes, increased excitability, and so on), a child under one year of age is diagnosed with encephalopathy. The child's brain has great compensatory capabilities that can completely eliminate the consequences of brain damage.

If a child older than a year does not speak, does not walk, does not sit, has mental disabilities, and doctors confirm the stability of neurological symptoms, then cerebral palsy is diagnosed. Movement disorders (tremor of the extremities, ataxia, rigidity, athetosis, spasticity) are the main symptoms of cerebral palsy.

In addition, there may be hearing and vision disorders, changes in orientation in space, perception, epilepsy, speech development disorders, learning problems, delayed emotional and mental development, functional disorders of the urinary system and the gastrointestinal tract. If you notice the above symptoms, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Signs of cerebral palsy

In a newborn, the signs of cerebral palsy are influenced by the location of pathological foci and the degree of brain damage. These signs can be both quite obvious and noticeable only to specialists. External manifestations can be indicated in the form of clumsiness, or as a strong muscle tension, depriving the child of the ability to move independently.

In an infant or older child, early signs of cerebral palsy can be identified by looking at the skill table for certain ages - walking and crawling, sitting, turning over, grasping, tracking movements. The following are some external symptoms that make it possible to suspect the disease of cerebral palsy (only a qualified specialist can make a final diagnosis):

Anxiety and poor sleep in a child;

Lagging behind the child in physical development (began to crawl late, raise his head, roll over);

· There are pauses of sight, shuddering;

· Violations of muscle tone: by 1.5 months, the hypertonicity of the hands does not weaken, and by four months - of the legs. The child's muscles are excessively sluggish or, conversely, tight, movements are slow or abrupt;

There is a slowdown in emotional development (in one month the child does not smile);

bodily asymmetry. For example, one arm is relaxed and the other is tense. Or a visual difference in the limbs, for example, in the thickness of the arms or legs.

If such signs are detected, you should seek qualified medical advice.

Diagnosis of cerebral palsy

It is possible that the symptoms of cerebral palsy are not detected or are not present at birth. Therefore, the attending physician observing the newborn should carefully examine the child so as not to miss these symptoms. Nevertheless, it is not worth overdiagnosing cerebral palsy, since many motor disorders in children at this age are transient. In many cases, the final diagnosis can be made a couple of years after birth, when it is possible to notice movement disorders.

Diagnosis of this disease is based on monitoring the presence of deviations in the intellectual and physical development of the child, these tests, as well as instrumental research methods (in this case, magnetic resonance imaging - MRI is performed). It includes:

Collecting all information about the baby's medical history, including details about the pregnancy. The presence of various delays in the development of the child is often reported by the parents themselves or it is found during the examination in child care facilities.

· To detect signs of cerebral palsy, a physical examination is essential. During it, a qualified specialist evaluates how long the reflexes of newborns persist in the child in comparison with normal periods. In addition, an assessment of the function of muscles, the function of hearing, posture, and vision is carried out.

Samples to detect latent form of the disease. The degree of developmental delay will help determine the various tests and questionnaires for development.

An MRI may also be ordered to identify a brain disorder.

The complex of such diagnostic methods allows you to make a final diagnosis. If the diagnosis is not clear, additional tests may be ordered to exclude possible other diseases and to assess the condition of the brain.
They include: ultrasound examination of the brain, computed tomography of the head, additional questioning. After diagnosing cerebral palsy to identify other diseases that may be at the same time with cerebral palsy, the child is given an additional examination.

Treatment of cerebral palsy

First of all, the treatment of cerebral palsy is carried out with the help of training mental and physical functions, which can reduce the severity of a neurological defect. Occupational therapy and physical therapy help improve muscle function. Hearing correction and speech therapy assistance help the development of the patient's speech. Various orthopedic devices and braces make it easier to maintain balance and walk.

Long-term therapy should include education in special programs, development of communication skills, psychological counseling. Treatment of cerebral palsy also includes special massage courses and a complex of physiotherapy exercises. On the recommendation of doctors, drugs are used to reduce muscle tone and drugs that improve the nutrition of the nervous tissue and microcirculation. The sooner a course of treatment and rehabilitation programs for cerebral palsy is started, the better.

Thanks to this, large deviations in the development of the child can be avoided. All treatment and medicines should be prescribed only by qualified specialists.

Teaching parents to restore muscle movement:

A profoundly premature baby. Full restoration of Bogdan:

Education: In 2005, she completed an internship at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, she completed her postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous Diseases".

Cerebral palsy is a serious chronic disease. combines, which are associated with a violation of the motor function of a person. Most often, the disease affects the fetus during its intrauterine development.

Cerebral palsy is non-progressive, which means that the disease does not spread inside the body, does not affect healthy areas of the nervous tissue, it damages certain areas of the brain pointwise.

Appears at the age of 5 - 7 months.

The atonic-astatic form of cerebral palsy becomes more pronounced 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 violations, and only as it grows, symptoms gradually appear. Most often they are associated with mental development disorders, neurological disorders occur. The child has outbreaks of unreasonable aggression, increased excitability. There are motor 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 is carried out using the following instrumental methods:

ultrasound examination of the brain;
craniography, etc.

The results of the study allow obtaining information about the depth of changes in the nervous system, determining the degree and severity of damage to a particular part of the brain, and identifying other disorders.

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

Such a study is necessary in order to exclude the presence of other diseases with similar symptoms. For the same purpose, 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 in cerebral palsy:

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

The prevalence of various forms of violation

It is a common disease. According to approximate estimates, for 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, it can be noted that

spastic diplegia is the leader among all forms,
second place - hemiparetic form,
the third is double hemiplegia,
fourth - atonic-astatic form,
and, finally, the hyperkinetic form of the disease has the fifth place in the prevalence of cerebral palsy.

Hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy - the lot of girls

Boys are much more likely to suffer from spastic diplegia and double hemiplegia; girls are more likely to have 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 it should not be treated at all.

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

Cerebral palsy is a general term for diseases that affect the development of the brain and motor system of the body.

Depending on the factors provoking the onset of the syndrome, there are different clinical types and forms of cerebral palsy.

We will consider their characteristics below.

This type of disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

damage to the subcortical part of the brain;
intermittent spasms;
the presence of variable muscle tone;
hyperkinesis of the limbs, scapular and cervical muscles (clumsiness of movements, excessive motor activity);
speech disorders, emotional instability;
vegetative disorders;
the occurrence of subluxations of the joints of the fingers;
a defect in the development of a purposeful grasp by the hands of an object;
lack of coordination;
inability to navigate in space.

In the hyperkinetic form, the mental health of the child suffers less than in other forms of cerebral palsy.

The causes of this type of paralysis can be:

incompatibility of the blood of mother and child;
lack of oxygen in the baby, which leads to the death of brain cells;
the impact of toxins on the baby's organs;
trauma at birth (for example, tying the umbilical cord);
malnutrition of the fetus.

There are three stages in the development of hyperkinetic cerebral palsy: early, initial and late. The early stage can last for 3-4 months. During this period, the baby has an unstable heartbeat, respiratory disorders, convulsions.

The initial stage lasts from 5 months to 4 years and is characterized by muscle hypertonicity. The late stage begins after the fourth year of the disease.

Here, the consolidation of motor disorders and the formation of forced body positions from the atrophy of some muscles are observed.

With persistent treatment and desire, the child will be able to partially extinguish hyperkinesis and calmly study in educational institutions.

Atonic-astatic

This form has the following features:

increased blood pressure in the muscles;
cerebellar damage;
decreased muscle tone (the child cannot maintain balance even at rest);
impaired coordination of movements;
tremor of the limbs;
epileptic seizures;
inability to sit, hold the head, stand, walk on their own;
underdevelopment of speech and psyche.

Most children with this form of cerebral palsy are characterized by low intelligence, aggressiveness and lack of interest in what is happening around. Also, often the optic nerves and speech skills remain undeveloped.

Spastic diplegia

Spastic forms of cerebral palsy are also distinguished. Spastic diplegia occurs in most children with cerebral palsy and is the most common form. It is also known as Little's disease.

Symptoms of spastic diplegia are:

damage to both the left and right sides of the body at once (legs suffer the most);
rapid deformation of the structure of the spine and joints;
violation of the processes of formation of speech and psyche;
uncontrolled contractions of muscle tissue;
delayed bone growth;
detection of scoliosis;
curvature of the hip joint;
contracture development;
general passivity of movements and reactions;
paresis of the vocal cords, due to which sounds cannot be properly formed;
mental retardation.

Possible causes of spastic diplegia can be different:

hereditary predisposition;
lack of oxygen during the formation of the fetus;
infectious diseases affecting the brain or musculoskeletal system;
trauma during childbirth or exposure to radiation from x-rays or ultrasound.

It is impossible to cure spastic diplegia, but there are effective methods for adapting a child to the environment. These techniques include: massage, physiotherapy exercises, acupuncture, swimming, Adele's costume.

Spastic tetraparesis

Spastic tetraparesis manifests itself in a significant decrease in the level of physical activity in all four limbs.

Also, for this form of cerebral palsy, the following features are characteristic:

muscle spasms and pain;
partial or complete loss of activity of the limbs, due to which their irreversible deformation occurs;
mental underdevelopment, delay in the development of intelligence;
frequent hiccups, shortness of breath, respiratory failure;
pelvic dysfunction.

Spastic tetraparesis occurs as a result of a violation in the brain stem, cerebral hemispheres or in the cervical spine, as well as damage to the nervous system. The causes of these injuries can be metabolic disorders, mechanical trauma to the cervical region, cerebral hemorrhage, severe bruising. With severe damage to the cervical region, death can occur.

Tetraparesis needs constant treatment - if the child does not constantly engage in special exercises, then the deformation of the limbs and organs will significantly worsen not only his physical activity, but also his general health.

Atactic form

The atactic (or cerebellar) form of cerebral palsy is characterized by the following symptoms:

violation of coordination of movements and balance of the body;
decreased muscle tone;
lethargy of movements;
trembling of the hands and head (swaying when walking);
delayed psychological development;
impaired vision, memory and speech;
increased arousal, impaired attention and concentration.

With mild stage of development, the child has slight deviations in walking and movements, loss of balance, and posture disorders.

With an average stage of the development of the disease, the child often moves either on crutches or with outside help - in this case, the patient does not have self-care skills and does not attend educational institutions. Often there is a deterioration in memory, vision, hearing.

In severe stage the child is completely unable to move and serve himself. In this case, there is a serious damage to the limbs, the development of pathologies, mental health disorders.

Do you often suffer from leg cramps? Traditional and folk methods of treatment are described.

Spastic-hyperkinetic form

The spastic-hyperkinetic form is a mixed form of the disease, when signs of spasticity appear in hyperkinetic cerebral palsy.

This form appears already at an older age due to a violation of the development of one or another body system.

As a rule, the reason for the manifestation of this form is brain damage and an insufficient number of subcortical nuclei. The spastic-hyperkinetic form manifests itself in the following symptoms:

convulsions, uncontrolled muscle contractions;
underdevelopment of the psyche, motor skills, speech;
partial paralysis of muscles and limbs;
impaired vision, hearing, memory, problems with the development of the speech apparatus;
foot deformity;
curvature of the pelvis and the appearance of scoliosis.

Right-sided hemiparesis

Right-sided hemiparesis is a weakening, partial or complete paralysis of the right side of the body. The main cause of this form is the damage to the neurons of the right hemisphere of the brain.

Also, the causes of hemiparesis can be:

a brain tumor;
infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis);
concussions;
stroke;
epilepsy;
migraine;
diabetes;
disruption of blood flow to the brain.

As a rule, hemiparesis of the right side is not congenital and manifests itself in adulthood.

Right-sided hemiparesis is characterized by the following symptoms:

decreased sensation on the right side of the body;
prolonged headache, often dizziness;
increased body temperature;
poor appetite;
pain in bones and joints;
a significant decrease in body weight.

Paralysis of the right side of the body leads to scoliosis and asymmetric posture. The affected limbs lag behind in growth and development and are deformed.

As a result of the disease, mental and speech deviations are formed.

Each type of cerebral palsy has its own characteristics and methods of treatment. Cerebral palsy can develop in different ways, so it is very important to notice the signs in time and start treatment so that irreversible pathologies and body deformities do not develop. With hard work and constant studies in any form of cerebral palsy, progress is invariably achieved.

Risk factors

There is a list of factors that can provoke the appearance of a terrible disease in an unborn child:

the age of the child's mother. There is a risk in mothers under 18 and 30 and older who give birth for the first time, have late toxicosis and do not follow a healthy lifestyle;
infectious diseases. The highest percentage of risk is congenital rubella, which can harm the fetus in 16 - 50% of cases out of 100. Other children whose mothers suffered from congenital toxoplasmosis, meningitis, and cytomegaly can also get congenital brain damage. Viral diseases, herpes, Escherichia coli, etc. are also dangerous;
constant stress during pregnancy. Under stress, a whole portion of hormones is released into the body, their excess can develop a spasm of the umbilical cord and uterine vessels;
the threat of miscarriage: placental abruption and intrauterine bleeding;
maternal endocrine diseases. It can be hypertension, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus. All this can lead to the threat of miscarriage;
poor diet, smoking and alcohol abuse;
harm from drugs;
late toxicosis;
intracranial trauma during childbirth, asphyxia;
erythrocyte antigen incompatibility.

Signs of cerebral palsy - symptoms of the disease

There are three stages of the course of the disease:

Early (0 to 5 months)
The initial stage (from 5 months to 3 years).
Late (from 3 years and older).

As a result of studying the stages, early manifestations of cerebral palsy and their late symptoms are distinguished. Early signs of the disease include:

children's reflexes, for example, grasping, which persist after six months;
developmental delay, for example, the child cannot crawl, walk, roll over, sit, etc.;
using only one hand.

Early symptoms may be completely imperceptible until a certain age, and may be very pronounced, depending on the degree of damage to the brain tissue. If a child has unhealthy muscle tone, for example, then this may show up as either excessive relaxation or resistance. If the tone is relaxed, i.e. lowered, limbs dangle, the child cannot hold a pose. If tense - elevated, then the limbs take a forced, not always comfortable position. Due to this pathology of muscle tone, cerebral palsy has the following character:

sudden movements;
slowness and worm-likeness;
excessive dynamics;
aimlessness;
uncontrolled motor reflexes.

All other symptoms of cerebral palsy are correlated with late ones. These include:

skeletal deformity. The affected side in this case has a shortened limb. As a consequence, if the problem is ignored, a violation of posture, scoliosis, curvature of the pelvic bones may develop;
hearing impairment. The child is unable to recognize the sounds around him, which threatens the late development of speech and other skills;
speech disorder. Expressed in the inability to form sounds by coordinating the lips, larynx and tongue. This occurs as a result of damage to muscle tone. At the same time, speech is incoherent and difficult;
visual problems. Myopia, farsightedness or strabismus develops;
swallowing disorder. There is no interaction of the muscles responsible for the swallowing process, which creates great difficulties with the process of eating and drinking, salivation;
violation of the anatomical structure of the jaw - these are pathological problems in the structure of the dentition, damage to the teeth by caries, weakness of the enamel;
urinary incontinence and defecation. When the work of the muscles is uncontrolled, the implementation of these processes becomes problematic;
convulsions. This symptom can be observed immediately after the birth of a child or some time after the development of cerebral palsy;
mental retardation. This symptom is shown only at a part of sick children;
impaired coordination and muscle tone. Movements and motility of the child are loose, clumsy, discoordinated. Cerebral palsy is manifested by such disorders:
excessive muscle tension;
involuntary contraction of muscle tissue;
no response to loud sound;
strabismus, myopathy;
does not reach the object by hand after 4 months;
does not sit independently after 7 months;
cannot pronounce words after a year;
uses only one of the two upper limbs after 12 years;
walking on toes, not on a full foot;
difficulty walking, stiffness.

Forms

Forms of cerebral palsy are classified according to many features proposed by various scientists and consisting of various factors. Currently, only one classification of cerebral palsy is used, which was proposed by Semenova K.A.

Consider all forms of cerebral palsy separately:

Cerebral palsy of spastic diplegia is the most common form. These types of cerebral palsy are characterized by a curved spine, impaired functioning of the muscles of the legs, arms and face, while almost not affected, and deformed joints. In addition to physical development, mental development also suffers. Syndrome of pseudobulbar dysarthria may develop. Characteristics of the disease: impaired speech, hearing, intelligence. The diagnosis - a spastic form of cerebral palsy - is very difficult and can lead to not the most pleasant consequences, but the social adaptation of the child can help in this.
Double hemiplegia is another form of cerebral palsy. It is extremely severe and is accompanied by a complete dysmotility, both in the legs and in the hands. The child cannot fully bend or straighten the limbs, the muscles are constantly in good shape, and asymmetry of movements is observed. In more than half of the cases, mental retardation is observed. These children are completely bedridden and cannot stand or sit. Such patients are not trained, which cannot be said about the next form of the disease.
The hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy (also known as the dyskinetic form) is a change in muscle tone that causes impulsive automatic twitches and movements that increase with emotional overexcitation. During sleep, muscle activity stops; during wakefulness, muscle tone is constantly changing. Such patients begin to sit late, but do not walk for the rest of their lives. They are characterized by illegible speech, auditory impairment, but at the same time intelligence is preserved. If spastic symptoms are added to these symptoms, then the disease is diagnosed as cerebral palsy spastic hyperkinetic form.
The atactic form of cerebral palsy is the dominance of motor disorders and imbalance of balance. In the early years of life, only muscular hypotonia can be seen. Ataxia becomes clearer as the functions and motor activity of the upper limbs form.

There are also mixed forms, because. it is not always possible to diagnose one of them due to the diffuse nature of the disease. With this form, there is a mixing of the symptoms of several types of cerebral palsy.

In the neonatal period, it is sometimes difficult to diagnose and determine cerebral palsy, the form of which is not clear. Therefore, in this classification there are clarifying data, taking into account the age limits of a person. For an earlier age, spastic forms of paralysis are characteristic, for an older one - spastic, atactic, hyperkinetic, mixed.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of cerebral palsy covers the following stages of analysis:

ultrasound of the brain;
CT and MRI;
Electroencephalogram.

The main goal of the treatment of cerebral palsy is the elimination of malfunctions in the motor system, speech barriers, and the correction of mental development. Treatment is selected individually, taking into account all the characteristics of each individual organism, because today there is no universal treatment. Methods that accompany positive results:

physiotherapy;
medicines that normalize muscle tone;
massage.

The following methods are also effective:

Voight method;
pneumosuit Atlant;
load suits;
classes with a speech therapist;
walkers, bicycles and other exercise equipment.

If the methods do not give changes, they perform a surgical operation, perform plastic surgery of the muscle structure and tendons, and give the tissues the correct shape. In this way, contractures and damaged areas are removed, and the spinal cord is stimulated.

Analyzing cerebral palsy, the causes of which may be different, we can note a very effective non-traditional method - animal therapy - treatment with the help of positive emotions from communicating with animals (horses and dolphins).

This is a malfunction of the motor sphere. The patient is unable to maintain a posture and perform arbitrary movements due to the pathology of the brain, which was formed even before the birth of the baby.

Children with cerebral palsy and their parents evoke genuine pity and sympathy. A terrible diagnosis bound them together forever. After all, cerebral palsy, what is it, in fact? This is an almost complete disability, the child cannot eat, drink, go to the toilet on his own. Having such a diagnosis, a child who has not learned to walk before the age of 8 will never walk on his own. The mother will be forced to lift the already heavy offspring and carry it in her arms.

This terrible disease can be expressed in different ways: from mild lameness to complete immobility. And the first option is a completely healthy person, able to work, start a family. The second option is a wheelchair user who is incapable of independent existence.

Characteristics of the disease

The main symptom of cerebral palsy is impaired movement. For babies with such a diagnosis, their own body is simply not subject to it, it does not obey them. And yet cerebral palsy - what is it?

With this disease
Rising Muscles of the baby are always tense and do not know how to relax.
Muscles that, in fact, should not take part in the movement, are pathologically included in the work.
The child is unable to hold the posture.
Hearing and speech defects.
Mental retardation.
Manifestations of convulsions, epilepsy.
Violation of sensitivity.
Changes in the autonomic nervous system.
Strong sweating.
Disturbed blood pressure.
Wrong heart rhythm.
Episodic increase in body temperature, etc.

Causes of the disease

Cerebral palsy - what is it? In fact, this is an unfavorable outcome of brain damage in the first months of a child's life - perinatal encephalopathy. The following factors can be noted that lead to brain damage:

The birth of a baby ahead of time.
Hemolytic disease of the newborn.
Pathological childbirth, leading to the death of part of the brain cells, trauma during childbirth, asphyxia of the newborn.
Prolonged or rapid, or inhibition by medication.
Forced use of forceps during childbirth.
Attempts to squeeze the fetus.
The birth of a child with brain defects, such as: incorrect anatomy, the absence of parts of the brain.

Why does brain damage happen?

All kinds of diseases transmitted at the genetic level.
Harmful effect on pregnant women.

Also, the birth of twins, occupational vaccinations with an unfavorable outcome, deviations in the nervous system can also cause a risk. Of course, all of the above does not mean that the baby will be born with cerebral palsy, but it is simply necessary to be alert and vigilant with such signs!

Is it possible to talk about the treatment of such children? After all, cerebral palsy is already a fait accompli, and here it is more appropriate to say not about the treatment of the child, but about his rehabilitation. The most important thing is to teach the patient self-service. Teach him to cope without the help of loved ones in elementary domestic issues. Here, doctors are not so able to help, the main part of the training falls on the shoulders of the parents. The sooner rehabilitation begins, the greater the chance of achieving maximum results.