Infantile cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disease. It can develop in a child in the first trimester of pregnancy or occur after childbirth. The hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy occurs in 25% of cases. It is characterized by a violation of muscle tone with a slight disorder in the mental development of a small patient.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Infantile cerebral palsy is a chronic disease. It combines a whole range of manifestations associated with a disorder of motor functions. Most often develops during fetal development.
CP has a non-progressive character. This means that the disease does not spread inside the body, but damages certain parts of the brain pointwise. As a result, it becomes difficult for the child to monitor the coordination of movements.
There are 3 stages of the pathological process:
- early;
- initial chronically residual;
- final residual.
First stagelasts about 4 months. It is characterized by: increased heart rate, periods of respiratory failure, nystagmus, convulsive syndrome. Movement disorders are difficult to distinguish.
The next stage continues from the fifth month of a child's life to 4 years. During this period, persistent muscle hypertonicity is born. The late residual stage is characterized by the fixation of movement disorders, the formation of contractures against the background of muscle atrophy.
Varieties of cerebral palsy
There are several types of cerebral palsy. In Russia, the classification of K. A. Semenova is used. According to the proposed gradation, the following forms of paralysis are distinguished:
- spastic diplegia;
- double hemiplegia;
- hemiplegia;
- atonic astatic form;
- hyperkinetic form.
In today's article, let's take a closer look at the last form of paralysis.
Main reasons
Any kind of pathology is the result of malnutrition of the brain of the fetus or newborn. The causes of cerebral palsy of the hyperkinetic form are hidden in defects in the subcortical parts of the brain, more precisely, in the striopallidar system.
The following pathologies during pregnancy can lead to the disease:
- infectious lesion (syphilis, toxoplasmosis, etc.);
- fetoplacental insufficiency;
- prolonged toxicosis;
- Rhesus conflict;
- early placental abruption;
- diseases not related to pregnancy in the mother (diabetes, heart defects, hypothyroidism).
Directly during childbirthcan provoke cerebral palsy:
- long dry period;
- birth trauma;
- protracted/premature/rapid labor.
In the postpartum period, the cause of cerebral palsy can be asphyxia of the newborn due to suffocation by the umbilical cord or ingress of amniotic fluid into the lungs.
Characteristic manifestations and disorders
The main symptom of the violation is the inconstancy of muscle tone. It can be normal, low or high. If spastic symptoms appear against the background of paralysis, the disease is diagnosed as a spastic-hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy.
The habitual movements of children with this diagnosis are violated: they look awkward and a little sweeping. It is for this form that the appearance of hyperkinesis is characteristic - involuntary contraction of facial muscles, legs and arms.
There are several types of hyperkinesis:
- athetosis;
- trochaic minor;
- choreoathetosis;
- torsion dystonia.
They can occur singly or in combination. Often, movement disorders are combined with hearing and speech disorders.
Children with hyperkinetic cerebral palsy do not deform joints and form contractures. However, in the area of small joints of the upper extremities, subluxations can form. Another characteristic feature is a violation of the capture of small objects. Difficulties arise with other movements that require concentration.
Distinguish different degreesthe severity of the pathology. With an easy version, defects in the motor apparatus are practically invisible. Such children can attend educational institutions and cope without outside help. However, they may experience involuntary and sharp muscle spasms, spreading mainly in the upper body. Similar symptoms are aggravated after stress and during depressive states.
For a severe degree of hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy, the symptoms are the following conditions:
- involuntary muscle movements appear in the first months of life;
- in the second year of life, moderate descending hyperkinesis occurs;
- contractions of the muscles of the upper and lower extremities have an increasing character.
Kids with moderate and severe pathology need constant comprehensive care.
Correction and recovery methods
Completely overcome the disease is not possible. However, there are various methods by which it is possible to correct the behavior and movements of the child. Their attending physician selects them, taking into account the characteristics of the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy and the individual characteristics of a small patient.
To ensure the most effective therapy, it is recommended to use an integrated approach. It involves the use of the following techniques:
- medical rehabilitation;
- drug treatment;
- speech correction;
- restorative procedures;
- help teachers.
Each of the methods will be described in detail later in the article.
Drug therapy
It is recommended to start rehabilitation from an early age. It is better to start treatment of the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy at the age of 4-5 years. At this time, the movement disorders characteristic of the pathology are minimal.
Drug therapy includes taking muscle relaxants to eliminate muscle spasms, anticonvulsants to relieve symptoms. To correct the emotional background of the child and the work of the central nervous system, the help of neurotrophic medications is required.
Through well-prescribed drug therapy, it is possible to normalize muscle tone, reduce hyperkinesis. To speed up the recovery period and improve the effect of drugs, it is additionally recommended to take B vitamins.
Other treatments
In case of various disorders against the background of the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy, the use of means to compensate them is recommended. We are talking about wheelchairs, standers, crutches, special shoes. In the later stages, progressive methods are used, involving the introduction of suits and training apparatus. With their help, it is possible to compensate for tension and develop motor skills.
If necessary, speech therapy and psycho-pedagogical correction is prescribed. The work of a defectologist is usually aimed at reducing the severity of speech defects. The psychologist cooperates not only with the child, but also with hisparents to ensure the most comfortable environment in the family. The child is taught to communicate with peers.
In cerebral palsy, massage is widely used. Procedures improve blood circulation and metabolism. For maximum effectiveness, sessions should be conducted by a qualified specialist.
For children with cerebral palsy, physical therapy is also useful. Exercises are selected individually. Swimming is recommended for almost all young patients. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect.
Features of hippotherapy in cerebral palsy
The listed therapeutic measures help reduce muscle hypertension, but they are not capable of teaching a child new skills. Therefore, hippotherapy is widely used today in the treatment of synkinesis in the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy.
Contact of a child with a horse stimulates the functioning of his subcortical areas of the brain, allows you to learn complex movements and improve speech skills. In the process of training, muscle hypertonicity and the severity of hyperkinesis decrease.
While riding, the rider begins to involuntarily repeat all the movements of the horse, learns to maintain balance and work simultaneously with both legs. In addition, the habit of falling on the affected side disappears, fine motor skills develop. In just a few sessions, emotional tension normalizes against the background of a feeling of inferiority in society.
Even long sessions of hippotherapy practically do not bother children. Every time they get new skills, experience and impressions. Fresh airbeneficial effect on the state of the whole organism.
Prognosis for recovery
Prognosis for hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy is largely determined by the severity of the pathology, the presence of concomitant he alth problems, adequate and timely treatment. The disease cannot be completely cured. However, with a competent approach and rehabilitation, developmental defects can be compensated as much as possible.
In the absence of seizures, the disease practically does not progress. Children can move independently from the age of 5-6 years with mild or moderate severity of the hyperkinetic form of cerebral palsy. Their mental development suffers less than the physical. Therefore, in most cases, they master the school curriculum, receive secondary or higher education.
