Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : October 5, 2017 3:37 PM IST
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October 6th is World Cerebral Palsy Day
Cerebral Palsy is a disease that affects around one in five children and appears very early in childhood. It is a neurological disorder and caused due to an insult or an injury to the developing brain either before birth, during birth or after birth. It affects the motor nerves and is non-progressive which means it doesn't worsen with time. It affects the muscle co-ordination and function which leads to slower movements and trouble in performing basic tasks.
Dr Leena Deshpande, Renowned Developmental Paediatrician says that awareness is the key to early detection which leads to early treatment, which can make life easier for children suffering from the disease. There are various signs and symptoms that are prominent in children with cerebral palsy but not all of them are evident at birth and may become prominent as the baby ages.
Delayed head control: Babies start holding up their head while lying on their stomach and move it from side to side when they are about a month old. Babies with cerebral palsy find it difficult to hold up their head and need support.
Sitting late: By the time they are four to seven months, babies should be able to sit up and roll over. Babies with cerebral palsy often sit very late and find it very difficult to roll over.
Stiff or loose muscles -- Low muscle tone is also one the symptoms of cerebral palsy and the baby may feel floppy when picked up.
Poor control over muscle movements -- As a baby ages, it gains control over its motor and muscle movements, which is absent in babies with cerebral palsy.
Unable to stand or bear weight on their feet-- When the baby is about 9 months old it starts to pull itself up and tries to walk. Babies with cerebral palsy find it difficult to pull themselves up and cannot bear the weight on their feet.
Cerebral palsy is also associated with various other problems in the child, like Global developmental delay -- the delay in the development of the child might just not be limited to the physical aspects of growth but also mental aspects. The child might find it difficult to talk to up to two years of age. He or she could also have problems with cognitive or thinking ability, vision impairment or hearing problems.
In some cases, the child might suffer from associated neurological conditions like seizures or convulsions.
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