Cerebral Palsy
- A condition caused by abnormal development or damage to the brain
- Affects various body movements including balance, movement, and posture.
- It develops in infancy or early childhood and is a lifelong condition, but does not get worse over time, and can be improved with appropriate interventions
- Severity varies across individuals and can range from difficulty with holding a pen to write, to being unable to walk
- The amount of care and help required by people with cerebral palsy can vary from lifelong to completely independent
- Common Symptoms include:
- muscle stiffness
- poor muscle tone
- uncontrolled movements
- difficulty with: posture, balance, coordination, walking, speech, swallowing, and other functions
-cognitive difficulties, seizures, breathing problems, incontinence, eating difficulties, dental, hearing, vision and digestive problems may also be associated with CP
- Treatment:
-Children with CP often work a variety of healthcare professionals.
-It is important to have the entire family, teachers, and other caregivers involved in the planning and treatment
- OT Role:
-Work with the child to teach life skills for school, home, and other activities they may be interested in
-Identify muscular difficulties (spasticity, tone, etc), and need for splinting