Cerebral Palsy

A sound mind in a disobedient body - this is the agony of many people with Cerebral Palsy. Their movements are awkward and slow. Many of them have squint and drooping lips. They are stared at. Kids giggle or fear them. Quite often, they are dubbed as dimwits _ though their intelligence level maybe as good as yours or mine. Lack of understanding from society may cause considerable distress to the Cerebral Palsied and their families and make them prefer isolation.

This section attempts to explain what Cerebral Palsy (also referred to as spastic in India) is, and tips for coping with it. Early detection gives the child the best chance to manage the handicap. Professional Help is available and much can be achieved by a CP child.

Quick Facts About CP
“Cerebral” means brain. “Palsy” means a disorder of movement. CP refers to a group of non-progressive neuro-muscular problems of varying severity.

CP is damage to the brain, primarily to the part of the brain that controls motor functions. However other parts of the brain may also be affected. In such cases the person affected has more than one handicap.

The extent of the damage varies from person to person. Mild disability might mean fine motor skills, like using scissors or writing, are difficult. Severe disability can mean poor movement of all four limbs, the trunk and neck. The child may even have difficulty in swallowing.

When movement on one side is affected the child is said to have Spastic Hemiplegia. The child may not be able to move the right hand and right leg; sometimes only the left hand and leg are affected. In cases of Spastic Quadriplegia all four limbs are affected. In cases of Paraplegia the lower limbs are affected.

Thus no two C.P. children are ever alike.

Facts

The medical term for ‘Spastic’ is Cerebral Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy means damage to the brain.
Early detection and treatment is vital.
Drugs and Surgery cannot cure this condition.
A C.P. child generally has more than one handicap.
There are approximately 10,000 C.P. children in Tamil Nadu.
Special schools provide for the needs of CP children.
At a special school the treatment of a C.P child focuses on speech, movement & education.
Given the right input, the sky is the limit for a C.P. child.
Myths

Parents of the Cerebral Palsied often say, “ There is no one like this in our family.” They assume CP has something to do with heredity. Another myth that circulates is that surgery can cure it. Cerebral Palsy is:

Not hereditary
Not contagious
Not progressive
Not the primary cause of death
Not curable by drugs or surgery. These might be recommended to avert further complications.