Cerebral Palsy

What is cerebral palsy?
This is a condition in which children have an abnormality of posture and movement due to impaired development of the brain during pregnancy or damage to the brain during pregnancy, birth or within 3 months of birth. It does not get worse with time but as the child grows older, some of the abnormalities become more obvious.

What can cause damage to the brain?

• Damages can occur due to deficiencies of certain micronutrients during pregnancy which are necessary for brain development. It may also be due to use of certain drugs or infections during pregnancy which are passed on to the unborn, developing child.
•  Damage may also occur due to difficult delivery during which time the baby is deprived of crucial oxygen and nutrition to the brain.
• It may be due to infections of the baby's brain occurring shortly after birth.
• How does a child with cerebral palsy manifest?
• Initially, abnormalities may not be obvious since a newly born child has limited functions anyway. However, your paediatrician may note some abnormalities during examination at an early age.
• The disability may be mild e.g. weakness of one hand.
• In some cases, there may be weaknesses of single limbs (monoplegia), two lower or upper limbs (diplegia) or all limbs (quadriplegia).
• The muscles involved may be floppy or stiff.
• The child may be unable to support his neck
• He may have impairment of vision, hearing and/or speech.
• Learning difficulties may be apparent later.
• In severe cases, the child may even have difficulties with swallowing.
• As the child grows older, more problems may be revealed.

What should you do when your child has cerebral palsy?

• It is important for the child to be fully assessed so that the whole range of his abnormalities is known. This should be done in hospital and will involve a number of specialists; the paediatrician, hearing specialists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and orthopaedic surgeons.
• These specialists will come up with a plan on how best to help the child to tackle his problems.
• The child is likely to need regular, physical assistance and the physiotherapists will help to make the child more mobile but of course the problem cannot be cured.
• Children with cerebral palsy normally have learning difficulties and a parent is the best person to tell the child's range of abilities. THESE CHILDREN NEED TO GET EDUCATION. This may initially be provided in a playgroup for normal or disabled children. As they reach school going age, they may then join one of the special education schools and be attached to an development assessment centre.
• Further information on education for these children can be provided by the Department of Special Education in the Ministry of Education.