Cerebral Palsy Treatment for Children in Kyiv

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move. The brain damage that affects the child's nervous system usually occurs in the womb or during childbirth. CP can also arise during the first month of life if the baby has a serious infectious disease such as meningitis or encephalitis. CP is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood. Cerebral palsy treatment for children in Kyiv may give young patients a better chance of integrating socially in the future.

Forms of Cerebral Palsy

There are several forms of cerebral palsy:

• Diplegic form (Little's disease).
  The main sign is spastic paralysis or paresis of both lower limbs. The child moves partly or not at all. Physical development is delayed and the child starts walking late, while intellectual development proceeds without obvious deviations.
• Hemiplegic form (one-sided disorders).
  It occurs more often than other forms and results from damage to one hemisphere of the brain. The main sign is that one side lags behind the other in development and therefore barely moves. Such a child sits later than usual, and standing and walking are very difficult.
• Hyperkinetic form.
  The patient's movements are involuntary because of disturbed muscle tone. Some deviations in the psyche, speech and hearing are observed.
• Double hemiplegia.
  Developmental deviations are seen equally in the arms and legs, or the upper and lower limbs are affected to different degrees. It is considered the most severe form of the disease. It often develops alongside other pathologies.
• Atonic-astatic form.
  Obvious problems with coordination of movement. General muscle hypotonia, delays in mental state and impaired fine motor skills predominate.
• Mixed forms.
  These are a combination of different forms of cerebral palsy. The most common is a combination of spastic forms with athetoid or ataxic ones.

Etiology and Pathogenesis

CP is not inherited, but determining the cause of cerebral palsy is often very difficult. However, it is currently known that most cases (80%) result from prenatal damage to the child's nervous system, and only in 20% of babies is the condition diagnosed after birth. The main factor that provokes CP is damage to the child's brain cells from oxygen deprivation and injuries received before or after birth.

Clinical Manifestations and Symptoms of CP in Children

Cerebral palsy is characterized by brain damage that does not go away over time but also does not progress. As a result, it is difficult for the person to control their movements and maintain posture. Sometimes there may also be reduced ability to communicate, reduced sensation, seizures and musculoskeletal deformities.

The visible signs of CP are:

• changes in the structure of the skeleton;
• unstable muscle tone;
• movements that are too abrupt or sluggish;
• gait and balance disorders.

The symptoms of CP can also include:

• delayed mental development;
• inability to speak;
• swallowing problems;
• hearing impairment;
• frequent convulsions, and others.

The symptoms of CP affect almost all functions of the body.

Complications

Over time, the condition of some children with CP may worsen. The more severe the form of cerebral palsy, the greater the risk of complications.

The main consequences of cerebral palsy include:

• Epilepsy.
  The likelihood of seizures in a child with CP is 15–90%. The condition harms the child's intellect and psyche and can be quite dangerous to life.
• Intellectual disability.
  About half of people with CP have intellectual impairment, which affects the results of the patient's rehabilitation treatment and social life.
• Orthopedic complications.
  Disruption of coordinated muscle work and of normal blood supply to the muscles leads to further deformities of the child's skeleton. Such changes are often accompanied by pain that makes physical activity impossible. Lack of movement and use of a wheelchair or other corrective equipment may lead to pressure sores in the child.
• Breathing problems.
  Children with severe forms of CP spend most of their time lying down, which often leads to problems with chewing and swallowing food. As a result, chronic aspiration syndrome can develop, which in turn causes inflammation of the bronchi and lungs. Moreover, such children have very weak immune defenses.
• Digestive problems.
  Problems with digesting food arise because of the lack of mobility in affected children. This can also lead to obesity in a bedridden child.
• Other complications.
  People with cerebral palsy may have poor vision, hearing and speech.

However, with the right work by the doctor and the exercises and equipment they prescribe, most of the complications listed above can be avoided or at least the risk of their development can be minimized.

Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is present from birth, but the diagnosis is not made right away. Most often, doctors conclude that the condition is present when the baby turns one year old, although this may vary depending on the severity, frequency and depth of the symptoms.

A number of examinations and tests are used to diagnose CP, the main ones being:

• computed tomography of the head;
• brain ultrasound;
• electromyography;
• parent questionnaires.

Results of Treatment for Children with CP

Treatment of cerebral palsy in Ukraine is aimed at identifying the cause of its appearance and relieving its characteristic symptoms.

It is important that a correctly chosen treatment system may have a positive effect even after the first exercises. However, only a comprehensive approach can help people with CP maintain a normal way of life. For example, medicines reduce muscle tone and improve the functioning of nervous tissue, gymnastics restores mobility and develops communication skills, and massage returns normal tone to the muscles and relieves pain. Special exercise equipment, chairs and suits help develop fine motor skills.

Prevention

It is difficult to prevent cerebral palsy, as there are no clear guarantees that it will not occur. However, to help prevent CP in children, it is important to follow general recommendations:

• take pregnancy planning seriously;
• treat infectious and chronic diseases in good time;
• get vaccinated against rubella in good time;
• visit a gynecologist regularly;
• be very attentive during gestation to your own condition and the condition of the baby;
• avoid contact with people who have a viral illness;
• monitor blood pressure and blood hemoglobin levels constantly.

Tips and Recommendations

An essential condition for the birth of a healthy baby is a favorable environment for the pregnant woman during gestation. As far as possible, all risk factors should be eliminated and the development of the child in the womb should be watched closely. This makes it possible to detect the onset of a pathology in time and adjust further actions.

In the first year of life, a newborn should be under the close supervision of a neurologist. Many children are referred for a consultation with this specialist already in the maternity hospital.

The signs of CP in the first year of a child's life are very hard to detect because the first symptoms appear later. However, after the first six months it is possible to notice certain developmental problems that point to damage to the central nervous system with a high risk of CP. If the woman had a very difficult pregnancy or the birth was difficult, the child should see a neurologist regularly, in addition to regular visits to the pediatrician.

Parents cannot determine the onset of the disease on their own, but they can pay attention to certain developmental deviations that are among the signs of CP. It is worth watching closely for the appearance of motor skills and speech development. If there is a delay, that is a serious reason to see a specialist. Be sure to monitor the baby's psychological and emotional state and observe how the baby makes the first sounds.

Neurology identifies certain primitive reflexes that appear in a child immediately after birth and begin to fade after a couple of months. These reflexes include the palm-mouth reflex and the automatic walking reflex. If these reflexes persist after six months, there may be disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system.

Which Doctor Treats Cerebral Palsy?

Experienced and qualified doctors work at CSM Clinic. A child diagnosed with "cerebral palsy" should see a neurologist and a neurorehabilitation doctor. After careful diagnostics, our specialists will develop a competent rehabilitation plan for the child with CP.

Benefits of Cerebral Palsy Treatment for Children at CSM Clinic

1. All of the modern equipment is in one place, and the procedures are non-invasive and designed to be safe.
2. Doctors develop an individual treatment plan for each patient.
3. Our specialists also work with the most complex cases.
4. Rehabilitation of children with CP is carried out by experienced specialists using modern methods.

Doctors

Cerebral palsy treatment in Kyiv, in the Podil district, is provided by CSM Clinic specialists who regularly train abroad. Children diagnosed with "cerebral palsy" are seen by a rehabilitation doctor, a neurorehabilitation doctor, a massage therapist, a physical therapy specialist, a pediatric neurologist and a psychologist.

Sources

• Ukrainian Wikipedia
• World Health Organization