Cerebral palsy: causes and forms. Classification of various forms and types of cerebral palsy and their characteristics. Causes of cerebral palsy in children

Cerebral palsy signs are a number of symptoms that indicate functional disorders against the background of structural and morphological brain damage. In this case, the violations relate specifically to certain functions for which the part of the brain that has undergone pathological changes is responsible. Cerebral palsy is always accompanied by certain disorders of the human motor sphere, which are not progressive in nature. This means that a child with cerebral palsy experiences difficulties with a certain category of movements, coordination, and orientation in space. The shape and nature of the disorders are directly related to the area of the brain, the neurons of which were damaged.

Classification of forms of cerebral palsy

Depending on the main cause of cerebral palsy and the localization of brain tissue disorders, several forms of the disease are distinguished according to a number of signs:

Spastic diplegia is one of the most common and common forms of cerebral palsy. With this type of disease, there is a bilateral violation of muscle functions, while the legs, arms and face are more affected to a lesser extent. This form is characterized by skeletal deformities and pathological changes in the joints. The most common cause of spastic diplegia is the birth of a child with significant prematurity. Often, the disease is accompanied by a sharp decrease in the motor function of all four limbs, sometimes partial or complete paralysis (tetraplegia). Against the background of the pathology of the cranial nerves, disorders of speech, auditory and visual functions may develop. With this form of cerebral palsy, if there are no serious violations of intellectual development and significant violations of the motor function of the hands, children have the highest chances of social adaptation and self-service.
Double hemiplegia is one of the most complex and severe forms of cerebral palsy, the cause of its development is most often chronic fetal hypoxia during gestation or early infancy (birth trauma). With this form, such disorders develop as spastic paralysis of all limbs, severe deformities of the trunk, stiffness of the joints, which begin to manifest themselves at a very early age. Against the background of motor dysfunctions, in about half of the diagnosed cases, there are serious mental disorders - cognitive (poor memory, lack of ability to cognize, understanding the world around), speech, visual, auditory disorders, pathological changes in facial muscles, weak swallowing, sucking, chewing reflexes. Often, children with this form of the disease suffer from epilepsy. The prognosis for such patients is disappointing; pathologies of motor functions in combination with impaired mental development lead to the inability of self-care.
The hyperkinetic form is most often caused by hemolytic disease of the newborn, the cause of which is an immunological conflict for the Rh factor or blood group of the mother and child. With a strong form of the disease, the newborn is intoxicated with the mother's blood antibodies directed against the child's erythrocytes. The disease is characterized by excessive motor reactions of the muscles, which are caused by a violation of muscle tone. Skeletal deformities in this form of the disease are absent or mild. In children, various types of hyperkinesis are observed - involuntary movements from slow worm-like to fast intermittent ones, spasms of the muscles of the face, cramps of the limbs. Muscle tone can be fickle, ranging from lethargy and weakness at rest to hypertonicity when moving. Often, with this form of cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and pathology of the motor function of the eyes are observed. Intellectually, such children can develop within the normal range, only the verbal function of communication is disturbed with severe dysarthria (violation of pronunciation, speech breathing, articulation, tempo-rhythmic organization of speech).
The atonic-astatic form is most often the result of birth trauma, chronic hypoxia and fetal abnormalities during pregnancy. In most cases, this form of the disease is caused by damage to the tissues of the cerebellum, sometimes to the cerebral cortex in the frontal region. Children with this form of cerebral palsy are characterized by symptoms such as very low muscle tone, incoordination of movements, impaired coordination, and a weak ability to maintain balance while walking. Sometimes speech disorders, intellectual pathologies of varying severity are also observed - from mental retardation to severe forms of oligophrenia.
The hemiplegic form is caused by a hematoma or hemorrhage with damage to one of the cerebral hemispheres, against the background of which one-sided lesion of the limbs develops. Hemiparesis (muscle weakening or partial paralysis) of the right or left extremities can be accompanied by spasms and seizures. In most cases, the motor function of the hand is more impaired. Depending on the degree of damage to the cerebral hemisphere, pathologies of speech function and mental retardation can also be observed.

Signs of early manifestation of cerebral palsy

The manifestations of cerebral palsy include increased excitability and motor disinhibition of nerve impulses, excessive activity and anxiety of muscle reactions, which leads to involuntary and uncontrolled movements. Against the background of increased activity of one muscle group, stiffness and paralysis of other motor functions can be observed. In addition, cerebral palsy is often accompanied by disorders and disorders of mental reactions that provoke anomalies in the development of speech, hearing, vision and functional disorders of the digestive and urinary systems. Cerebral palsy is often accompanied by epileptic seizures.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy can appear in a child immediately after birth, that is, in the first weeks of a newborn's life. However, it often happens that the manifestation of signs of the disease occurs gradually, which greatly complicates the timely diagnosis of cerebral palsy. It is important to recognize them as early as possible in order to take adequate measures to treat and help the child.

It is quite difficult to diagnose cerebral palsy in newborn children, therefore, when a child develops symptoms such as sudden convulsions, tremors in the body, a sharp muscle contraction, or vice versa, extremely weak motor activity of the limbs, inability to fix a gaze, intermittent tense or weak breathing, violation of the sucking reflex, parents need consult a pediatrician and pediatric neurologist.

One of the first manifestations of cerebral palsy in infants is that their natural abilities begin to appear much later. Symptomatically, this is characterized by the following symptoms:

Delayed motor development - the belated appearance of the ability to raise and hold the head, the development of the skill to roll over from back to stomach and back, lack of purposeful movements, if desired, to reach the object (toy), late development of the ability to sit and hold the back. In the future, children with cerebral palsy have problems with the development of skills to crawl, stand and walk.
In children with cerebral palsy, reflexes, which are inherent in young infants, persist much longer. For example, this refers to a situation when a child over six months has a grasping reflex. Normally, this reflex is already absent in children 4-5 months of age.
Muscle tone disorders. Very often, at the initial stage of cerebral palsy, such phenomena as excessive relaxation or, on the contrary, increased tension of individual muscles or muscle groups can be observed. With this condition of the muscles, the limbs of the child can assume an incorrect unnatural position. Excessive muscle relaxation in cerebral palsy is manifested in the inability to move normally, swing one or more limbs, and the inability to maintain the natural position of the body. Increased tension leads to stiffness and persistent muscle tone, which causes the child's body to assume a forced unnatural position. A typical example of such a symptom is arms or legs crossed like scissors.
Unilateral limb activity. This can be seen when the child consistently uses only one hand for manipulation. With normal development, children under one year old, if they want to reach an object, use both hands equally, while this factor does not depend on which side of the baby's brain is dominant. That is, it does not matter if he is right-handed or left-handed, in infancy he uses both hands with the same activity. If this is not the case, then this factor in itself can be considered alarming.

At the early (up to 5 months) and initial residual (from 6 months to 3 years) stages of cerebral palsy, pathologies of muscle tone provoke violations of the child's motor abilities. This is manifested by the following symptoms:

Excessive harshness and suddenness of movements;
Uncontrollable and completely aimless movements;
Unnaturally slow and worm-like movements.

Often, even in infancy, children with cerebral palsy show such pathological signs as cramps of the limbs, tremors of individual muscles. This type of violation affects about 30% of children with cerebral palsy.

Late residual stages of cerebral palsy - symptoms

Late stages of cerebral palsy are observed in older children, starting from 3 years. On the basis of already formed disorders, deformities, limited mobility and stiffness of joints, spasticity and pathological degenerations of muscle tissue, static disorders are established. They result in paralytic and hyperkinetic syndromes.

Late symptoms of cerebral palsy include:

Skeleton deformations. This type of disorder is observed in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Due to improper movement and imbalance of the muscles, the process of bone formation changes pathologically. This manifests itself in the form of curvatures, thickening of bones and joints.
Joint contracture. Stiffness, deformity and pathological changes in the articular tissue are caused by inadequate load distribution. In some cases, certain joints atrophy and lose mobility due to impaired muscle tone (myogenic contractures).
Athetosis. Constant uncontrollable wriggling of the limbs, worm-like movements from one or both sides, leading to an unnatural position and deformation (of the hands, feet).
Ataxia. Typical coordination disorders and inability to maintain static or motor balance.
Muscle tone pathologies of varying severity. With reduced muscle tone (hypotension), weakness and lethargy of movements are observed. With increased tone (hypertonicity) - spasms, convulsions, tremors.
Hyperkinesis. Involuntary, uncontrollable muscle contractions that cause abnormal movements in certain parts of the body - arms, legs, face.
Maxillofacial deformities, dentition disorders. They arise as one of the forms of deformation of the skeletal bones of the skull, develop as a result of dysfunctions of the muscles of the face and other secondary factors of cerebral palsy.
Delayed mental and mental development. It can manifest itself in different forms depending on the type and severity of brain tissue damage - impaired spatial perception, disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere, difficulty concentrating and switching attention, low memory capacity, lack of interest and motivation to learn.

In addition to the above signs, it is important to note violations of visual functions (strabismus, optic nerve atrophy, myopia), hearing and speech development. In severe forms, functional disorders of the processes of urination and bowel movements are also possible.

Cerebral palsy - the main causes of development

The causes of the disease in the overwhelming majority of cases are provoked by complications of the course of pregnancy and pathologies of the first weeks of a baby's life. The causes of cerebral palsy primarily include serious illnesses and pathological conditions that a woman suffered during pregnancy. The first group includes various infectious diseases that lead to intrauterine infection of the fetus. They are especially dangerous during the formation of brain structures.

The second group of reasons provoking morphological and structural changes in the fetal cerebral cortex during pregnancy include craniocerebral trauma, falls, strokes with the risk of brain injury in a child.

The main reasons for the occurrence include the following factors:

Prematurity and, as a consequence, underdevelopment of the brain;
Chronic fetal hypoxia, provoking oxygen starvation of the brain;
Severe toxicosis;
Severe infectious diseases;
Lack of vitamins during intrauterine development;
Severe chronic systemic diseases of the mother;
Incompatibility of the blood of the mother and the fetus for the Rh factor or group;
Genetic predisposition (hereditary factor);
Poisoning with toxic substances, heavy metals, medical products.

The causes of postpartum brain tissue disorders are most often associated with severe prolonged labor, birth trauma, asphyxia and infection of the infant in the first days of his life.

Benefits of osteopathy in the treatment of cerebral palsy

Like any severe neurological pathology, cerebral palsy is treated in a complex way with the use of drug therapy, physiotherapy, massage techniques and physiotherapy exercises. Most of the developed methods of traditional medicine are aimed at relieving complications, improving the blood supply to the central nervous system, as well as correcting the pathological motor stereotype.

Surgical treatment is used to eliminate severe deformities of the joints and bones. However, all these methods help to eliminate only the consequences and complications of the disease. It is worth noting that many of these treatments have a number of side effects and can be quite painful for a child.

Unlike classical medicine, osteopathic techniques make it possible to act directly on the causes of certain disorders, thanks to which they always have a much more effective result. Osteopathy classification:

Structural osteopathy - this complex of techniques is used in the treatment of various diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the musculoskeletal system, both with limited and unrestricted mobility.
Craniosacral osteopathy is the use of various techniques for the treatment of neurological pathologies, including in children with impaired motor-sensory development, mental retardation and problems of social adaptation.
Visceral osteopathy is a set of measures for influencing the internal organs and functional systems of the body.

Methods of structural and craniosacral osteopathy are used to treat children with motor dysfunctions provoked by deformation of the skeleton, trunk and joints, as well as pathologies of muscle tone. In case of pathological complications of the functions of internal organs, the methods of visceral osteopathy are used.

One of the important advantages of osteopathy is rightly considered the possibility of early diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system and damage to brain tissue. Even modern neurological diagnostic techniques can reveal pathology from a certain age of the child, and an osteopath can distinguish between disorders at the stage of the earliest development.

When diagnosing the nature and causes of disorders, the osteopath identifies specific areas of damage and develops an individual course and an accurate treatment regimen for each patient. For example, when blocking a specific muscle group, techniques are initially used to relieve tension in muscle fibers or pinch nerve endings. Relaxation provides an opportunity to improve blood flow and oxygen supply to damaged tissues. In the future, techniques are used to restore normal blood supply and nutrition to nerve tissues.

For each type of disorder in osteopathy, specific methods of treatment and recovery have been developed. If a child at an early age develops such disorders as late physical or mental development, reflex pathologies, motor visual and auditory abnormalities, then osteopathic methods can help to timely act on the causes, up to their complete elimination.

The sooner the child receives help, the higher the chances of normal development and further socialization. An osteopathic doctor always cooperates with other narrow specialists - a neurologist, psychiatrist, ophthalmologist, orthopedist. The most effective result is obtained by a combination of methods of classical medicine and osteopathy.

Help for pregnant women and prevention of possible pathologies

Any diseases and ailments of a woman during pregnancy, from headaches to systemic chronic pathologies, can have a negative impact on the development of the fetus.

Osteopathic methods can significantly improve the condition of the expectant mother and eliminate the threat to the child. The course of osteopathic treatment improves the prognosis, makes the pregnant woman feel better and significantly reduces the development of complications, both during gestation and during labor.

An osteopath should be consulted for symptoms such as:

Drawing pains in the lower abdomen;
Increased tone of the uterus;
Threat of miscarriage and hypoxia;
Headaches and arterial pressure disorders;
Swelling of the face and limbs;
Breathing disorders, shortness of breath;
Back pain, lower back, spine, pelvic bones;
Stress, tendency to irritability or depression;
Digestive disorders, heartburn, heaviness in the stomach, constipation;
Severe toxicosis, especially in the later stages.

Osteopathic methods are effective in preparing for childbirth, they help to improve the mobility of the pelvic bones, harmonious preparation of the cervix for labor. At any stage of pregnancy, an osteopathic doctor is able to eliminate spasms of the diaphragm caused by tension and blockage due to the growing uterus.

Osteopathic methods are an effective system that allows you to act on the cause of any disorders in the body. They are absolutely safe and have no side effects, which makes it possible to use them at any stage of pregnancy, as well as in the treatment of newborns from the first days of life. Prevention of cerebral palsy is recommended starting from the first trimester of pregnancy and at the first manifestations of the abnormal development of the baby.

Cerebral palsy () is a disease that causes disturbances in the work of the motor system, which arise as a result of damage to areas of the brain or their incomplete development.

Back in 1860, Dr. William Little undertook a description of this disease, which was called Little's disease. Even then, it was revealed that the cause is oxygen starvation of the fetus at the time of delivery.

Later, in 1897, psychiatrist Sigmund Freud suggested that the source of the problem may be the developmental disorders of the child's brain while still in the womb. Freud's idea was not supported.

And only in 1980 it was found that only 10% of cases of cerebral palsy occurs with birth trauma. From that moment on, specialists began to pay more attention to the causes of brain damage and, as a result, the appearance of cerebral palsy.

Provoking intrauterine factors

Currently, more than 400 causes of cerebral palsy are known. The causes of the disease are correlated with the period of gestation, childbirth and in the first four weeks after (in some cases, the period of possible manifestation of the disease is extended to the age of three years of the child).

How the pregnancy progresses is very important. According to studies, it is during intrauterine development that in most cases there are violations of the brain activity of the fetus.

Key reasons that can cause dysfunction in the development of a child's brain, and the onset of cerebral palsy even during pregnancy:

Postpartum factors

In the postpartum period, the risk of occurrence decreases. But he also exists. If the fetus was born with a very low body weight, then this can pose a danger to the health of the child - especially if the weight is up to 1 kg.

Twins, triplets are more at risk. In situations where a child receives at an early age, this is fraught with unpleasant consequences.

These factors are not the only ones. Experts do not hide the fact that in every third case it is not possible to identify the cause of cerebral palsy. Therefore, the main points were listed, which are worth paying attention to in the first place.

An interesting observation is the fact that boys are 1.3 times more likely to suffer from this disease. And in males, the course of the disease is manifested in a more severe form than in girls.

Scientific research

There is evidence according to which special importance in considering the risk of occurrence should be given to the genetic issue.

Norwegian doctors from the field of pediatrics and neurology conducted a large study, which revealed a close relationship between the development of cerebral palsy and genetics.

According to the observations of qualified specialists, if the parents already have a child suffering from this ailment, then the possibility of another child in this family with cerebral palsy increases 9 times.

The research group led by Professor Peter Rosenbaum came to such conclusions as a result of studying data on more than two million Norwegian babies who were born between 1967 and 2002. 3649 babies were diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Cases with twins were considered, situations with relatives of the first, second and third degree of relationship were analyzed. Based on these criteria, the incidence of cerebral palsy in infants belonging to different categories of kinship was revealed.

As a result, the following data were provided:

if a twin is sick with cerebral palsy, then the likelihood of another twin getting sick by him increases by 15.6 times;
if a brother or sister is sick, then the risk of another child suffering from cerebral palsy increases 9 times; if uterine - 3 times.
in the presence of cousins with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, the threat of a baby having the same problem increases by 1.5 times.
parents with this disease increase the likelihood of having a child with a similar diagnosis by 6.5 times.

It is necessary to know the causes and risk factors for the onset of cerebral palsy, since its development can be prevented, if prematurely taking care of the health of the mother and fetus.

To do this, it is worth not only regularly visiting a doctor, but also observing a healthy lifestyle, avoiding injuries, viral diseases, the use of toxic substances, treating in advance and not forgetting to consult on the safety of the drugs used.

Understanding the importance of precautions is the best prevention against infantile cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is not a single disease, but a group of movement disorders. Deviations occur during the perinatal period (from 22 weeks of gestation to the seventh day after birth). In sick children, there are delays in physical development, speech disorders, dysfunction of the motor system.

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General characteristics of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy may include different types of deviations: paralysis and paresis, changes in the musculoskeletal system, speech disorders, unsteady walking, etc.

Children with cerebral palsy may develop mental disorders, epilepsy. Vision and hearing deteriorate. These problems arise as a consequence of brain damage.

The more extensive and serious the lesion, the more dangerous the disturbances in the body. Infantile cerebral palsy cannot develop because damage to brain structures is always limited.

Note! As he grows up, it may seem that his condition has only worsened. In reality, violations become more pronounced against a background of learning and communication difficulties. These problems are invisible until the baby can walk and does not eat himself.

The diagnosis of the deviation is made using clinical and anamnestic data. People who have been diagnosed with a pathology must continuously undergo rehabilitation. They need constant treatment.

World statistics registers 1 case of pathology per 1000. In Russia, this figure is 2-6 cases per 1000. Premature babies suffer from this deviation 10 times more often. Recent studies have shown that half of all children with cerebral palsy were born prematurely.

Cerebral palsy is one of the leading problems in modern pediatrics. Scientists argue that sick children appear more often not only because of the deterioration of the environment, but also because of the medical methods of neonatology, which allow nursing infants with various serious pathologies.

Forms of infantile cerebral palsy

Pathology has several different forms. Spastic diplegia is one of the most common. It was first described by an English scientist - Little.

This form is characterized by damage to the lower extremities, the hands and face are not so badly damaged. Spastic diplegia treatable... The better the hands are, the faster the rehabilitation is.

Quite common and atactic form of cerebral palsy. In patients, muscle tone is very low, but tendon reflexes are quite pronounced. Children have poor speech development due to damage to the vocal cords. The reason for this condition is insufficient oxygen supply to the fetus during pregnancy, trauma to the frontal lobe of the brain.

Causes of cerebral palsy in newborns

Sick babies usually appear due to prematurity. Immediate causes of cerebral palsy during pregnancy:

Disturbances in the structure of the brain.
Oxygen starvation of the fetus during pregnancy.
Venereal diseases in the mother (the most dangerous infection is genital herpes).
Incompatibility of maternal and fetal blood groups.
Brain injuries sustained during gestation or childbirth.
Toxic poisoning brain in infancy.
Incorrectly conducted childbirth.

It is believed that the presence of chronic serious diseases in the mother and the use of harmful substances are the main causes of cerebral palsy in newborn children. Diseases such as anemia, hypertensive crisis, rubella, etc. provoke the occurrence of lesions brain in the fetus.

Each case of cerebral palsy is individual. The exact cause of the appearance of deviations is usually not exactly known, since, as a rule, several unfavorable factors act on the body of the mother and the fetus.

There is a misconception that pathology arises from problems with blood vessels. But this is not true, since all vessels in young children are very pliable and extensible, they cannot be damaged on their own. Violations in the vascular system of an infant can appear only as a result of traumatic exposure.

To successfully treat infantile cerebral palsy, specialists need establish the root cause the appearance of deviations.

Cerebral palsy symptoms

Pathology is detected almost on the very first day, its symptoms do not need special decoding. But sometimes the signs of cerebral palsy become noticeable gradually.

It is very important to identify the main symptoms as early as possible and make a diagnosis. Doctors recommend having a special kid's diary, where it is necessary to record all the achievements of the child.

Parents should be very careful about the manifestation of absolute reflexes that occur immediately after birth. Attention should be paid to fading reflexes.

For example, the palmar-oral reflex should disappear by the second month. If it remains up to the sixth month, then the baby most likely has a dysfunction of the nervous system.It is important to monitor the development of the baby's speech, his mobility and the appearance of various skills. Anything should be recorded in the diary. suspicious behavior:

head nodding;
uncontrolled movements;
staying in one position for a long time;
lack of contact between mother and baby.

Children's doctors are not always in a hurry to diagnose cerebral palsy. Most often, when specific signs are found, the pediatrician puts encephalopathy in a child up to one year old. The baby's brain has great compensatory abilities, it can completely get rid of the consequences of damage.

If there are no changes in development (the child does not speak, does not walk, does not sit, etc.), then cerebral palsy is diagnosed.

Treatment

Most often, the diagnosis "Cerebral Palsy" is not a sentence. If you approach the treatment of the deviation in a comprehensive and correct way, conduct active rehabilitation. Adult with cerebral palsy can be a full-fledged person capable of starting a family and achieving success in their careers. Paralysis remains with a person forever, but its negative impact can be minimized by timely treatment. To achieve a good result, it is necessary to diagnose the pathology in time and start therapy as soon as possible.

Cerebral palsy is treated - it is a very long and complex process, the more extensive the damage to the brain, the more difficult it is. The main role is given to non-drug methods of dealing with deviations.

Adults with cerebral palsy who have undergone basic intensive course of treatment in childhood, can become full-fledged members of society.

Patients pass a course of treatment special preparations, they are given massages that normalize muscle tone.

Regular physical therapy is needed, as well as exercises to help correct motor skills. Classes with a speech therapist and a psychologist are required. In some cases, the intervention of a surgeon is required.

Intensive rehabilitation measures must be carried out up to up to eight years old, when the brain is in a stage of active development. During this time, healthy parts of the brain take over the functions of the damaged ones.

The treatment course is almost always aimed at improved motor skills for every patient. Recovery measures need to be carried out throughout life, but in childhood they should be given the most attention. Only in this way will rehabilitation be as effective as possible.

Recently, healing methods are often practiced that are built on contact with animals... Such communication has a positive effect on the mood, his psyche. Such methods can be switched only with the permission of a doctor.

Doctors often prescribe Voyt and Bobath therapy. These are healing practices aimed at stimulating movements associated with unconditioned reflexes. The purpose of these techniques is to bring the patient's motor activity to a normal state, to form habits.

There are special training suits, designed for children with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. For example "Adele" or "Gravistat". They help to correct incorrect positions of the limbs, to bring muscle tone back to normal due to their stretching. The correct position of the torso, legs, arms is established with the help of special clamps and springs. The patient is in a medical suit for a while and tries to move. Treatment with this method is carried out in courses, the stay in a suit becomes longer with each subsequent session.

When a patient has pathological impulses in the brain, it is necessary neurosurgical intervention.

Operations of this kind are very complex, their essence lies in the destruction of certain brain structures that are responsible for the production of pathological signals. Sometimes implants are implanted that suppress impulses.

Surgical intervention an orthopedist is needed in cases where it is necessary to eliminate deformities of the arms, legs and joints. They are made to facilitate walking and any other movement. For example, Achilles tendon surgery can help restore the correct position of the foot.

Most of the therapeutic measures are used in special medical institutions for children with cerebral palsy. Treatments should be practiced at home as well.

Note! The most favorable is the spa treatment. The sanatoriums specializing in children with paralysis have special equipment and the best conditions for effective treatment.

Cerebral palsy should be treated as soon as the diagnosis is made. If nothing is done, then the condition may worsen due to developmental pathologies. Such a baby will need to be treated not only for paralysis, but also for acquired orthopedic problems.

Video: Cerebral Palsy - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Cerebral palsy is now becoming a common disease that affects many children. No one is insured from the birth of babies with this ailment. They can appear in a family of completely healthy parents, and there may be several reasons for this. We will tell further about what cerebral palsy is, about its symptoms, signs, types and causes of occurrence, about diagnosis and treatment.

What is this disease

Cerebral palsy is not a disease, but a series of symptoms that appear for several reasons. The similarity of signs is that they all affect the brain and disrupt the patient's motor activity. Most often, the disease affects children in the first year of life at a time when the brain is in an active stage of development. If a baby or adolescent gets a head injury, his physical activity will also decrease, but this cannot be called a disease.

Another feature of cerebral palsy is that the signs of this disease do not worsen over time, but remain the same. Moreover, the reduced physical activity can be restored. But remember that if such children are not properly looked after or dealt with, then this can lead to dangerous consequences.

The process of the onset of the disease

Violation of motor activity occurs in a person for the following reasons:

the occurrence of changes in the neurons of the normal brain;
manifestation of primary disorders in the structure of the brain.

Negative factors act on neurons, which lead to the appearance of various defects. This is because the structures of the brain that are developing at the moment have increased vulnerability. Due to this, the patient's movements of the upper and lower extremities are disturbed.

Doctors note that most often cerebral palsy appears in an infant or newborn who was born at 33 weeks and has underdevelopment in the structures of the brain and arteries. If he was born on time, then during oxygen starvation, the blood is distributed in such a way that the brain does not suffer. If the baby was born prematurely and was under a ventilator for a long time, then he does not have such protection. Because of this, many parts of the brain die off during oxygen starvation, and empty cavities remain in their place. This poses a threat to the development of this disease.

Why does it appear

There are several groups of factors that lead to the appearance of infantile paralysis in a baby. Let's consider them in more detail.

Cerebral palsy and causes during pregnancy:

Fetoplacetal insufficiency. Often it is she who leads to the appearance in the baby of such a pathology as chronic oxygen deficiency.
Damage to the infection of the patient's nervous system. Often the cause is the development of a disease such as rubella in a baby.
The presence of a severe Rh conflict between mother and fetus.
The emergence of chromosomal mutations and poor heredity.

The main causes of cerebral palsy in a child during childbirth:

The appearance of asphyxia. Usually, oxygen stops flowing to the baby if it is entwined with an umbilical cord, placental abruption occurs or the umbilical cord is clamped by the pelvic bones.
The occurrence of head injuries during childbirth. Trauma occurs when childbirth takes place very quickly, the baby is lying incorrectly, the expectant mother has a too narrow pelvis. The child injures the head during childbirth when the doctor commits the wrong actions.

The reasons that lead to the development of the disease after the child is born:

Frequent head injury, especially in children over 1 year of age. This is due to the fact that the bones of the baby are very fragile and its fall at this age leads to the appearance of a concussion and the occurrence of injuries in it.
The development in the body of an infection that was transmitted during childbirth or in the first years of life.
Poisoning with medicines and other toxic substances.

Classification of types of disease

Doctors divide this disease into several types:

Development of spastic diplegia. During it, foci of death, cystic neoplasms appear in the brain. The development of this syndrome is caused by the premature birth of a child, oxygen starvation, the appearance of an infection in his body and a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
The appearance of spastic tetraplegia. The brain develops periventricular leukomalacia, multiple foci of death, malformations. This syndrome appears due to oxygen starvation, the development of infection, disruption of the thyroid gland, and the occurrence of disorders in the development of the fetus.
Development of hemiplegia. It is characterized by the appearance of cerebral hemorrhages. The progression of hemiplegia is facilitated by impaired blood clotting, the presence of severe hereditary diseases and developmental defects in the child, and the appearance of infection in the body.
The appearance of an extrapyramidal form. With it, violations appear in certain areas of the brain. This form develops due to oxygen starvation of the fetus, with the development of severe jaundice, in the presence of mitochondrial diseases in the fetus.

With spastic diplegia, the patient has impaired movement in both limbs, usually in the legs. In the hands, activity is fully or partially preserved. This form is considered the most common. With such cerebral palsy in children, violations are visible already in the first years of life, especially during crawling:

The kid can normally move the upper limbs, and the lower ones are constantly tightening. With a severe form of the disease, an unhealthy child cannot crawl.
In the legs of a sick child, there is an increased tone, tendon reflexes are strongly pronounced. These signs of cerebral palsy are detected by a neurologist.
If the mother holds the baby under the armpits, then he begins to cross his legs.
The child begins to walk late, and he walks mainly on tiptoe.
In a severe case, the sick baby begins to lag behind with walking.

At the same time, intelligence and speech activity are developed normally. Unlike other types of the disease, convulsive syndromes with spastic diplegia appear very rarely. If a child develops a disease in a mild form, then he can serve himself and receive new knowledge.

Spastic tetraplegia is characterized by the defeat of all four limbs. Doctors call this form of the disease the most severe and difficult to treat. This stage appears due to the fact that there are many lesions in the brain. With her, the child lags behind in mental development, and he often has seizures of epilepsy. With this form of the disease, it is difficult for a child from birth to swallow, his tone is increased and all limbs can hurt on one side, it is difficult for him to crawl or he does not crawl at all, does not walk. In addition, epileptic seizures appear, speech activity, intelligence, vision are impaired. Outwardly, it is noticeable that the sick baby has a small head size, and there are other developmental defects. With this form of the disease, most children have mental retardation.

With hemiplegia, motor activity in the upper and lower extremities is impaired on one side. The upper limbs are affected the most. With hemiplegia, the child retains all reflexes, but as the baby grows up, the motor activity in the limbs on the affected side decreases.

Additionally, the following symptoms appear:

in the affected limb there is a high tone, it is often bent at the joint and pressed to the body;
balance, sitting, walking appear on time;
intelligence develops normally, convulsions rarely appear.

The development of an extrapyramidal or hyperkinetic form of the disease in a child is called the most dangerous by doctors. This disease often develops when there is an incompatibility between the mother and the baby or with deep prematurity.

In addition, the following symptoms are characteristic of this form of the disease:

the child has a reduced tone, he does not hold his head well;
there is periodic hypertonia, violent movements;
the child can walk on his own at 4-6 years old;
swallowing is impaired, he pronounces sounds and words poorly;
intelligence develops normally.

With this form of the disease, the following violent movements occur:

Choreiform: quick and abrupt movements of the hips and shoulders.
Athetoid: They are worm-shaped, very slow, and are characterized by writhing in the movements of the bones and feet.
Mixed form: characterized by the joint development of athetosis and chorea.

If a child is in a stressful situation or emotional experience, then his violent movements may intensify.

Does the disease have degrees

Remember that the degree of development of the disease depends on how much the brain is affected. The development of the disease is also influenced by how quickly the parents turned to a specialist, underwent diagnostics and treatment, and what corrective measures they are doing with their baby.

Cerebral palsy happens:

Lightweight. With him, the baby can independently make any movements, do homework, visit an educational institution, master a profession.
Average. The kid cannot do something without the help of strangers, but he can socially adapt.
Heavy. A child cannot do anything without strangers, cannot even self-serve.

How is the diagnosis carried out?

Remember that the earlier the diagnosis and treatment is carried out, the fewer dangerous complications will arise. Because of this, doctors examine the baby after he was born.

The risk group includes:

premature and low birth weight children;
babies with congenital malformations;
children who have contracted an infection in the womb;
babies who were born using medical forceps, vacuum extractors;
children who were connected to mechanical ventilation after birth;
babies who received a low Apgar score after birth.

Remember that during the test, specialists study all reflexes and muscle tone in the newborn.

In addition, instrumental methods are used to examine the baby:

Ultrasound of the head. It is carried out if newborns have symptoms of cerebral palsy or parents complain of unpleasant symptoms.
Electroencephalography. It is used when the child is often troubled by seizures.
CT and MRI. These methods are used for hydrocephalus, cystic neoplasms, foci of hemorrhage, malignant and benign tumors in the head.

Remember that on the basis of the data obtained, the physician diagnoses: "encephalopathy". It contributes to the development of the disease. Sometimes doctors are mistaken, as increased excitability, tremors in the limbs and chin, increased tone in the limbs can occur in almost any child under 6 months of age. This is an individual feature of the baby, it is not required to treat such a condition, it goes away on its own. Therefore, parents need to find a really good pediatrician who can make an accurate diagnosis and recognize the disease at an early stage.

When the disease is detected

Doctors may suspect cerebral palsy in a newborn, but it does not always show typical signs. At the same time, physical activity decreases, the child sleeps a lot. At an early stage, only serious types of ailment are detected.

When paralysis occurs in a baby, children's reflexes disappear only at 3-4 months. Thanks to this, children with cerebral palsy can grow normally and learn new knowledge. At this age, the following signs also appear, by which the disease can be recognized:

The baby is very lethargic, he swallows poorly, cannot suck, does not have spontaneous movements.
The child retains the Moro reflex. It is characterized by the spreading of the upper limbs when raising the baby and sharply lowering it down.
The child still crawls if the parents put their hand at his feet.
Accepting an upright position by the child and bending him forward leads to the fact that he begins to walk.

Remember that these reflexes are childish and should disappear as the child grows older.

Parents should not forget that if a baby at 4-6 months is very lethargic, poorly learns new skills and their mastering does not meet the deadlines, he cannot sit and stands asymmetrically, protects one side, then they need to contact a specialist. You also need to go to the doctor when a child over 1 year old makes involuntary movements.

Typical symptoms of the disease

Cerebral palsy is suspected in a child if the following symptoms are present:

he is tormented by convulsions and hydrocephalus;
vision and hearing, coordination and balance are impaired;
there is a delay in the development of speech or alalia develops;
difficult to pronounce sounds;
written speech is disturbed;
stutters, there are disturbances in the emotional and volitional sphere;
difficult to write, read and count.

How to cure an ailment

Remember that you cannot completely get rid of WPC. But if you turn to a specialist in time and take the right measures, you can achieve excellent results and teach a sick child some skills.

Why is therapy carried out? It aims to:

stimulation of the baby to acquire new skills of self-service, movement;
reducing the risk of the baby having incorrect postures, curvature of the spinal column;
creating conditions for the normal development of speech and psychoemotional activity.

Remember that treatment depends on the form of the disease, its severity, the presence of other abilities, the level of development of the baby, his age and other diseases.

Doctors identify several ways to treat the disease:

Use of medicines. Prescribe the use of anticonvulsants. They can only be prescribed by an epileptologist, and they are used under his control. Additionally, the use of relaxing drugs is prescribed: Diazepam, Baclofen. These drugs are used for painful muscle cramps.

Remember that it is undesirable to use drugs such as: Cavinton, Cinnarizin, Actovegin, Cortexin, Cerebrolysin, Piracetam, Pantogam, Phenibut and other homeopathic medicines. Their manufacturers claim that they can restore dead parts of the brain, but they are not able to do this. Also, a sick child should not take nootropics, vitamins and medications that help improve blood circulation in the brain. Until now, their effectiveness has not been proven by doctors. Parents should not buy one of the above medicines for their sick child on their own.

Only a doctor prescribes drugs, and his choice depends on the severity and form of the disease, on the symptoms of the disease that have appeared.

Massage and physiotherapy exercises are used. If the patient's mother will carry out the massage, then first she must choose exercises with the doctor and study the technique for doing them. If the exercises or massage are chosen incorrectly, then the baby's health may deteriorate.
Correct incorrect poses. Often a sick child has muscle tone, and this contributes to his entry into the wrong posture. This leads to the appearance of irreversible consequences. Poses can be corrected by wearing braces, splints, rollers, shields, bandages, verticalizers.
The use of surgical methods of correction. For this, an operation is performed on the Achilles tendon, on the muscles in the lumbar region. This helps to reduce cramps.

Additionally apply:

Physiotherapy. It helps to reduce pain when muscle spasms occur.
Correction of speech disorders. For this, the patient is taken to a speech therapist.
Removing social isolation.
Hippo and dolphin therapy. Such techniques help improve speech, motor coordination and help children adapt to life faster.

Remember that corrective procedures and treatment of the disease will be carried out to the baby for his whole life.

Many parents ask a doctor about who treats this ailment? Treatment is carried out by a neurologist, physiotherapist, exercise therapy doctor, surgeon, speech therapist, psychologist.

Also, do not forget that many cities contain centers for the rehabilitation of "special" babies. They have specialists who will help the child to fully rehabilitate. With the help of experienced doctors and family members, the child will be able to learn new skills, get a profession, socialize and become a full member of society. Currently, sick children in such a clinic can be treated both free of charge and on a paid basis.

What complications appear

Remember that the affected areas of the brain no longer become, but if the child takes the wrong posture, then his health may deteriorate. In addition, if he does not attend school, does not communicate with peers and does not study with specialists, he may often develop speech and emotional disorders and other complications:

Constantly compressed upper and lower limbs. This condition appears due to the presence of muscle tone. Moreover, it can be very long and even lead to dislocation of the joints.
The child begins to walk only on tiptoes. If parents try to put the sick baby correctly, then this leads to the appearance of unpleasant sensations and pain in him.
The spine is bent, the pelvic bones are twisted. Such distortions appear due to the baby adopting the wrong posture while walking, sitting.