Is it possible to cure cerebral palsy completely? This is, perhaps, one of the exciting questions that is asked not only by the owners of the mentioned diagnosis, but also by their closest and dearest people. The answer to it, as well as other information about the mentioned disease, is presented below.
Basic information
Is cerebral palsy treated or not? No specialist can give a definite answer to this question. What is it connected with? The fact is that diseases, the focus of which is the brain, in principle, cannot be cured completely. However, modern science knows cases when paralyzed people achieved incredible results that doctors did not even dream of. Therefore, answering the question of whether it is possible to cure cerebral palsy, many experts are in no hurry to answer categorically.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Before describing the methods of treating cerebral palsy, you should tell what this disease is.
The mentioned term is used in medicine to refer to a combination of various chronic symptoms that have a non-progressive course and relate to disorders in the human motor sphere. The latter arise due todamage to some structures of the central nervous system, formed exclusively in the prenatal period. Such disorders can affect the subcortical regions, cortical structures, brainstem and capsule of the brain.
Features of the disease
Is cerebral palsy curable? Most often, this question is asked by parents of sick babies. And there is nothing surprising in this. After all, such a disease requires great endurance, strength and patience from parents.
Experts say that children with cerebral palsy can experience a variety of movement disorders. Muscular structures are most severely affected. In this regard, babies may experience:
- muscle tension and spastic contraction;
- various movements of an involuntary nature;
- limited mobility;
- gait disturbances.
Main symptoms of the disease
Is it possible to cure cerebral palsy in a child completely? This question will always be relevant. After all, in addition to violations of motor activity, such a diagnosis is often accompanied by pathologies of hearing, vision and speech activity. Also, very often this disease is combined with epilepsy, disorders of mental and mental development. In addition, children with cerebral palsy have significant problems with perception and sensations.
In view of all the above violations, babies with damage to the structures of the central nervous system are often observed:
- involuntary urination;
- problems with self-consumption of food;
- involuntary allocationkala;
- formation of bedsores;
- breathing difficulties due to poor posture;
- problems with the perception of information, reflected in learning.
Important to know
Is cerebral palsy treated, and can this disease progress? Many parents whose children have such a diagnosis are very worried that over time the condition of their babies will worsen even more. However, experts say that cerebral palsy cannot progress, since damage to brain structures is point and limited. In other words, they do not spread or invade new areas of nerve tissue.
Causes of disease
Is cerebral palsy treated or not? In some cases, the past therapy gives a positive trend. However, this does not happen in all patients. Experts attribute this to the immediate causes leading to the development of the cerebral palsy clinic. By the way, the following pathological processes can be attributed to the latter:
- Chronic hypoxia during fetal development or during childbirth.
- Violation of the development of some brain structures.
- Intrauterine infections (such as those caused by the herpes virus).
- Trauma to certain brain structures received during fetal development or during childbirth.
- Incompatibility of maternal and fetal blood with the development of hemolytic disease.
- Various infections involving the brain in infancy.
- Incorrect delivery.
- Toxic Damagesome brain structures.
How is it diagnosed?
Is cerebral palsy treated in children? Before asking this question, you need to find out if the patient really has this problem.
According to doctors, the diagnosis of cerebral palsy does not cause any particular difficulties, since the mentioned disease has characteristic distinguishing features that are associated with non-progressive motor disorders.
Usually, the diagnosis of cerebral palsy is confirmed during a neurological examination and after an MRI of the brain. By the way, the latter can reveal and visualize atrophy of the subcortex, cerebral cortex and other disorders in the white and gray matter.
Is Cerebral Palsy Treated?
Despite the fact that it is difficult for modern medicine to give an unambiguous answer to this question, many parents whose children have such a diagnosis believe and always hope only for positive dynamics.
By the way, the only thing that can be said for sure about this issue is that the therapy of such a disease must be started immediately after the child is diagnosed. And the sooner the right treatment begins, the higher the chances of minimizing all the serious consequences of the disease.
In this aspect, not only high-quality therapy is of great importance, but also care for the disabled, creating all conditions for him.
Main task
Speaking about whether cerebral palsy is treated (how and with what), you should not get hung up on the word "therapy". After all, the main task with such a diagnosis is adaptation to life. This is especially true when it comes to the most severe degree of the disease.
Thus, if cerebral palsy is not treated completely, then this disease is definitely successfully compensated with the help of a well-chosen rehabilitation program. And it's not for nothing that doctors say that the phrase "cannot be cured" is not synonymous with "cannot be helped." If you act correctly and believe in yourself, then sooner or later the result will be noticeable.
Basic Therapies
Is it possible to cure cerebral palsy in a child? Unfortunately, today it is impossible to completely get rid of violations of brain structures without a true miracle. However, there are a number of methods that can definitely give positive dynamics and significantly improve the patient's quality of life.
For the therapy to be successful, it must be only complex.
Today, there are the following methods of treatment of cerebral palsy:
- Medicated.
- Orthopedic and operative.
- Psychological and psychiatric.
- Socio-pedagogical.
- Unconventional.
- Author's.
Combining or combining several ways, positive results will not be long in coming.
Drug treatment of cerebral palsy
Is cerebral palsy treated in adults and children? The fundamental point in the treatment of such a disease is the intake of certain medications.
In the development of cerebral palsy, the following categories can be usedmedicines:
- In order to reduce spasticity, patients are shown means that help relax tense muscle tissues. As a rule, they are prescribed to all people with such a diagnosis, since spasticity is characteristic of all forms of pathology (Baclofen or Mydocalm).
- Anticonvulsant drugs (such as Phenobarbital or Benzonal) are used in the development of a convulsive syndrome.
- In order to develop brain tissues, as well as build connections between neurons and improve their work, drugs such as Somazina or Gammalon are prescribed. However, it is extremely important to remember that some of these medications are contraindicated for seizures.
- After relaxing the muscle tissue, the patient is recommended to introduce agents that help normalize the conduction of the impulse from the nerves to the muscle tissue. Such drugs include Prozerin or Galantamine.
- In order to improve blood circulation in the brain, "Cavinton" and "Trental" are prescribed.
Orthopedic methods
Is cerebral palsy treated with orthopedics? According to doctors, orthopedic methods of therapy must be included in the complex therapy of this disease. The essence of this method is the use of special devices that were made specifically for the patient. These include the following: splints, orthoses, braces, special shoes, etc.
Thanks to such simple but effective devices, cerebral palsy therapy can be carried out even at home. By the way, similardevices are very often used in spastic diplegia in order to improve the child's gait and prevent the development of muscle contracture.
Assistive equipment
In the development of cerebral palsy, additional devices are often used that can significantly improve the child's condition. These include strollers, which have a variety of configurations. Also, with a similar diagnosis, verticalizers are very often used. This design is designed to help children with cerebral palsy stand without the help of strangers. When choosing a model of such a device, one should take into account the characteristics of the disease, as well as consult a doctor.
Surgery
Is cerebral palsy treated surgically? Surgery is one of the many ways to treat this disease. The main objective of surgery is to give the child the opportunity to move around. If patients do not have such a prospect, then operations can reduce pain, facilitate hygiene procedures, help them sit down, etc.
As a rule, during the operation for cerebral palsy, doctors perform a transfer or removal of the tendons. Also, the specialist is able to correct scoliosis, change the incorrect position of the limbs, correct the location of the hip joints, remove the imbalance of spastic muscles.
Today, with cerebral palsy, methods of functional neurosurgery are actively used, namely:
- dorsal rhizotomy;
- injection of "Baclofen" into the spinal canal;
- epidural chronic electrical stimulation.
Psychological support
When cerebral palsy, the process of normalization of the patient's condition is long-term. In this regard, any attempts to somehow change the situation lead to uncomfortable sensations, which causes stress and negative emotions. Therefore, with paralysis, it is very important to provide psychological support to the patient. Doctors recommend using body-oriented methods aimed at sensory correction. This kind of psychotherapy does not use words. With this method of correction, only body language is used. Thanks to systemic and grouped movements, it is possible to achieve relaxation not only on the physical, but also on the psychological level.
Folk ways
Treatment of cerebral palsy with the help of folk remedies is auxiliary. Before such therapy, be sure to consult a doctor.
The most popular alternative medicine for cerebral palsy are the following:
- Infusion of red clover (increases vitality, copes with beriberi, restores strength after heavy loads).
- Decoction of wormwood and valerian root.
- Baths of string, stinging nettle, bay leaves, sage, mistletoe, tansy, birch buds, rosemary branches, juniper berries (removes spasticity).
- Shepherd's purse tincture (relieves cerebral palsy).
- Tincture of Japanese Sophora (combats muscle spasm).
- Therapeutic rosehip bath (helps relieve some symptoms of paralysis).
Socio-pedagogical way
The work of teachers with patients diagnosed with cerebral palsy is extremely important. To achieve positive results, it must begin at an early age. At the same time, the main work should be aimed at maintaining anatomically correct positions by patients and mastering various movements. Also, the teacher should pay great attention to the development of speech, stereotypes of behavior in society.
As a rule, the education of children with cerebral palsy is carried out in a playful way. At the same time, adults should carefully observe the movements of a small patient. Pathological and wrong - stop, and necessary - encourage.
Author's way
Is cerebral palsy treated with PET therapy? It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question. However, it is possible to say for sure that such a method has a favorable effect on the psycho-emotional state of people with the mentioned diagnosis, and therefore improves their general condition.
PET therapy is a non-standard way of treating people with cerebral palsy, which uses pets such as dogs, horses, dolphins, rabbits, cats, birds, etc. In our country, this method is better known as animal therapy or zootherapy.
Summing up, it should be said that today it is not possible to completely recover from cerebral palsy. But this does not mean that with such a diagnosis, you need to let go and despair. On the contrary, in order to significantly improve the quality of life of the patient, it is necessary to make every effort and begin therapy as soon as the diagnosis is made.
According to experts, today there are no universal ways to treat cerebral palsy. However, the best results are given by methods such as:
- massage sessions;
- physiotherapy exercises;
- drugs that relieve muscle tone.
Also, the following techniques and methods give a positive effect in the treatment of cerebral palsy:
- bobat therapy;
- voigt method;
- load suits "Gravistat" and "Adelie";
- speech therapy techniques;
- Atlas pneumosuit;
- auxiliary devices such as walkers, chairs, standers, bicycles, fitness equipment, etc.
