Cerebral palsy in infants is a form of neurological disorder of the brain that makes it difficult for the sufferer to move. Suffering from this condition makes the baby experience various disorders of movement and body coordination, one of which is unable to move part of his body.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the result of damage to the brain or abnormal brain growth. A child or infant can be born with this condition or experience it after he is born.
There are several factors that can increase the risk of a baby experiencing CP, namely:
- Born
- Lack of oxygen to the brain, for example due to asphyxia or severe breathing disorders.
- Having an infection while in the womb, for example due to illness rubella, herpes, toxoplasmosis, and amniotic infection.
- Got meningitis after birth.
- Has a low Apgar score at birth.
- Have bleeding in the brain.
- Having a head injury, for example from a fall or using forceps or a vacuum at birth.
- Have a genetic disorder.
- Having a stroke or obstruction of blood flow to the brain.
An infant or child should be suspected of having cerebral palsy if he has one or more of the risk factors above and experiences complaints or symptoms that point to this disease.
Here are the Symptoms Cerebral Palsy on Baby
Symptom cerebral palsy In babies it can usually be seen since he was only a few months old. However, this condition is often not realized by parents. Most cases cerebral palsy only detected when the baby is 1 or 2 years old. Sometimes this condition is only diagnosed in older children.
In general, there are several signs and symptoms that indicate that the baby is suffering cerebral palsy, that is:
- Developmental disorders, for example, babies cannot roll over, crawl, sit, and walk.
- There are body parts that are too drooping or stiff.
- Babies only use one side of the body in activities. For example, when crawling, he supports his body with only his right hand and foot.
- It's hard to breathe.
- Frequent seizures.
- Impaired vision or hearing.
- Unable to speak or speech late.
You can also recognize the signs cerebral palsy specifically based on the age of the baby.
In infants less than 6 months of age, cerebral palsy usually marked with:
- Unable to lift the head when lifted or will be carried.
- One part of his body feels stiff or weak.
- When lifted, the legs are crossed or stiff.
- When held, he acts as if he is uncomfortable and tries to move away from you.
While in infants aged 6 months or more, cerebral palsy can be recognized by the appearance of symptoms such as:
- Baby does not roll in any direction.
- He had trouble putting his hands together.
- His hand couldn't reach his mouth.
- He reached for something with only one hand, while the other hand just clenched.
Then in babies who are more than 10 months old, you need to suspect that he is suffering cerebral palsy if:
- Crawling sideways using only one hand and one foot, while the other hand and foot are dragged as if they can't be moved.
- Sucking using the thighs or buttocks.
- Unable to stand even after holding on to or resting on an object.
Not only that, the brain abnormalities experienced by sufferers cerebral palsy can also cause other health problems, such as tremors (shaking), body rigidity, muscle weakness, or impaired body coordination.
Signs and symptoms cerebral palsy not always the same in every baby who experiences it. This depends on which part of the brain is damaged. This condition is often similar to several other diseases.
Therefore, if a baby or child shows some of the signs and symptoms above, immediately consult a doctor so that the cause can be ascertained.
is Cerebral Palsy Can It Be Healed?
Cerebral palsy It is a condition that will last a lifetime. Until now there has not been found a treatment method that can completely cure this condition. However, there are several treatment methods that can be used to relieve symptoms and support the baby to grow and develop as well as possible.
The main therapeutic goal in cerebral palsy also more focused on helping babies or children who experience this condition to be able to carry out activities independently, such as grasping an object, crawling, sitting, and walking.
To determine whether the baby has cerebral palsy or not, it is necessary to be examined by a pediatrician first. In determining the diagnosis, the doctor will perform a physical examination of the baby or child, ask the mother's pregnancy history, and determine whether there are certain health problems in the baby after the baby is born.
The doctor will also evaluate growth and development and supporting examinations, such as blood tests, electroencephalography (EEG), and brain scans with CT scans, MRIs, or ultrasounds of the head.
If the results of the doctor's examination show that the baby has cerebral palsy, then the doctor can suggest several treatment steps, namely:
Physiotherapy
There are several types of physical therapy (physiotherapy) that can be applied to help the baby adapt to his condition. The doctor will determine the type of physiotherapy and certain exercise techniques that babies with this condition need according to which parts of the body are affected by the condition cerebral palsy.
The main goals of this therapy are to improve muscle strength, balance and coordination of movements, and control of baby's movements. That way, the baby is expected to be able to carry out normal activities, such as lifting his head, rolling over, and grasping.
speech therapy (speech therapy)
This therapy is actually more aimed at children with cerebral palsy who have difficulty in communicating and speaking. In infants, this speech therapy can be done to train the strength of the mouth and jaw muscles, so that they can improve their speaking skills later.
Growth evaluation
This is one of the important components in handling cerebral palsy. The goal is to assess whether there is a problem in the baby's growth and development and provide treatment as early as possible so that the baby can grow and develop normally.
Drugs
Giving medicine here is not to cure cerebral palsy, but rather to deal with disturbing complaints.
For example, if there are stiff muscles that make it difficult for the baby to move or undergoing physical therapy or speech therapy, the doctor can give muscle relaxants, such as diazepam, baclofen, and injection onabotulinumtoxin A (botox). If cerebral palsy makes the patient experience frequent seizures, the doctor can give anti-seizure drugs.
In addition to drugs and therapy, symptoms cerebral palsy It can also be relieved by surgery. This method is usually used when other treatments are ineffective or complications occur, such as contractures or scar tissue that restricts muscle movement, or abnormal bone growth.
In addition to the medical treatment above, emotional support and encouragement or a good growth stimulus from people are also very important steps in handling babies with cerebral palsy.
With proper treatment and good support from families, babies and children who are suffering cerebral palsy have a high chance of being able to grow and develop normally, although they still have limitations. In most cases, patients cerebral palsy must use an assistive device, such as a wheelchair, for the rest of his life.
Therefore, if there are signs of symptoms that indicate the child or baby has cerebral palsy, immediately take him to a pediatrician or a pediatric neurologist for proper examination and treatment.