One of the most dreaded diseases that a child could suffer is Cerebral Palsy. The effects are such that it prevents the child’s natural growth to a normal human being.
What is Cerebral Palsy? Cerebral Palsy is a disease that shows its signs during the early years of a child’s life. A range of disorders arise in the physique of the child that impairs the control of movement. The symptoms do not show during the birth of the child and till the child attains the age of 18 months. Most of the times the symptoms are barely visible and it becomes difficult to diagnose CP.
A disease like Cerebral Palsy could be caused in various ways. Toxicity to the fetal brain of cytokines, low birth weight, toxins, lead poisoning, shaken baby syndrome, encephalitis or meningitis could each be one of the causes of Cerebral Palsy. Recent researches have also demonstrated that intrapartum asphyxia which was considered to be prime cause of CP is not so and less than 10% of cases of Cerebral Palsy have been caused by it.
Since the medical scientists have not been able till date to find out what causes Cerebral Palsy, physicians try to prevent the growth of the disease using a series of therapies. As there is no cure for CP, these divergent therapies become indispensable for the well being of the child so that he or she can live a near normal life. Cerebral Palsy treatments are ordinarily symptomatic and concentrate on developing motor skills of the person as much as possible. This ensures that the affected person lives a near normal life though not fully normal.