How spastic Diplegia is different from other forms of cerebral palsy?

Complications during pregnancy, such as intrauterine infection, head injury, toxemia etc, have a great relationship with the birth of premature babies. In these cases, there is the possible occurrence of cerebral palsy. These children are more susceptible to disturbances in motor, mental, sensory and emotional development.

Also called little’s syndrome, spastic Diplegia cerebral palsy is an infantile neurological pathology. Children born with this disease have paralysis that can be more or less severe in the lower limbs and also in the upper limbs. Little’s syndrome is one of the diseases known as “motor-brain diseases “that includes non-progressive neurological pathologies.

How it is different?

There are different types of cerebral palsy. The spastic form is the most common. Other types of cerebral palsy can lead to abnormal movements, or problems with balance and walking. Spastic cerebral palsy consists of problems with movement and balance, due to an injury to the motor cortex of the brain.

Spastic quadriplegia: Also called spastic quadriplegia, it is a specific type of spastic cerebral palsy that refers to the difficulty in controlling movements in the arms and legs.The facial muscles and the core of the body are unable to perform their normal functions due to the intense amount of muscle tension.

Spastic Hemiplegia: Usually, the upper extremity is more affected than the lower extremity & one side of body is affected. This form impairs the brain’s ability to send proper nerve signals to the muscles of one side of body.

Spastic Diplegia: This form of cerebral palsy affects both legs, rather than the entire body. About one in five children with CP have spastic Diplegia, which is also known as little’s Disease. Children with this form will show signs and symptoms in their early years, and many of the same symptoms that a child with quadriplegia will exhibit.

What are the symptoms of SDCP?

The first signs of Diplegia cerebral palsy are usually detected only after 1 year of age, when the first abnormalities of psychomotor development can be assessed. Little’s syndrome is characterized by other symptom – Stiffness of the lower limbs, Muscle spasms, Difficulty in making certain movements, An abnormal attitude of the limbs at rest, Reduced mobility, Bone deformities that often lead to pain in adulthood, and Difficulty in fine motor skills.

A Basic Measure for Early Identification of Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy in Infants

Spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy can be diagnosed at earliest of six months of age, ensuring earlier treatments and better results in the long run. However, it is quite challenging to evaluate the difference between developing infants and those with cerebral palsy hemiplegic. One should consider visiting an academic Medical center to know the results as they have the right tools and specialized training that can aid in diagnosis.

However, a recent study has provided some solutions to these problems. Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination’s asymmetry score, when the same gets used along with exam’s total score, ithelp’s in differentiating the typically developing and spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy children.

How to Identify Early Symptoms?

A study was conducted on 74 confirmed CP infants, which included 35 hemiplegia patients. It was noted that 13 children with hemiplegia had a HINE score of more than 63, which does not usually indicate cerebral palsy.

The researchers calculated a separate asymmetry where an item on the HINE test had an asymmetric between right and left side was given once score. It was noted that children with Hemiplegia scored at least six and max 17. Moreover, no child with diplegia had their asymmetry more than three, while the children with quadriplegia had scores between 0 to 15.

So, it was concluded that HEIN scores less than 63 with an asymmetric score above 5 had 1.8% sensitivity and specificity of 100% in differentiating typical development with hemiplegia. But one should know even if this code does not suggest a diagnosis, the child within asymmetric or higher than five should take professional help.

The cut-offs are essential for using HINE. Moreover, the care providers can take the exams in 5 minutes free of cost. Using the results, one can quickly get that child help and attention they need.

Take Help from the Right Medical Care

Spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy with proper care and attention can be treated. However, you need to identify the symptoms, the earliest possible to provide your kid the right treatment. Trishla Foundation, for years has been offering special care to the children with CP. Their industry- leading treatment and professionals have already helped many children in one or other throughout their treatment. Their help is all your child needs right now.

Things To Remember About Cerebral Palsy

A most common neuro-motor disability in childhood is Cerebral Palsy (CP). This is a motor disability where the mind finds it difficult to coordinate muscle and joint movements. A person’s ability to maintain posture and balance, along with the ability to move is hampered because of this. Additionally, once you start hunting for the best doctor for cerebral palsy in India, you will realize that this disease has to be treated by a number of health professionals in tandem.

CP has been found to be more common amongst boys than girls. About 75-85% of children affected by CP have spastic CP, meaning that their stiff muscles could result in awkward movements. Some children also have conditions in addition to CP, which are known as co-occurring conditions which include epilepsy, speech disorder, problem in deglutition, dribbling of saliva, mental retardation etc.

Treatment for every individual is different

One method of treatment cannot be applied to all. Every individual condition is seen to be different, and so is the type of treatment. As a result, the best doctor for cerebral palsy in Indiaalso gets in touch with other medical professionals for optimum treatment of the individual.

When CP is usually diagnosed?

In most cases, CP is diagnosed within the first year after birth. However, if the child’s symptoms are mild, it becomes difficult to accurately diagnose until a few years have passed by.

Keep a watch out for the following early signs of CP-

Treatment for every individual is different

One method of treatment cannot be applied to all. Every individual condition is seen to be different, and so is the type of treatment. As a result, the best doctor for cerebral palsy in India also gets in touch with other medical professionals for optimum treatment of the individual.

When CP is usually diagnosed?

In most cases, CP is diagnosed within the first year after birth. However, if the child’s symptoms are mild, it becomes difficult to accurately diagnose until a few years have passed by.

Keep a watch out for the following early signs of CP-

1) Ages 6-12 months:

• Constantly feels stiff
• Head falls back when picked up while lying flat on the back
• Body appears floppy
• Legs cross or become stiff when picked up
• Not responding to family member including mothers.
• Sucking & deglutition problem
• Abnormal movement disorder
• Persistence of abnormal reflexes

2) Ages > 1 year :

• Finds it difficult to bring hand to mouth
• Is unable to bring hands together
• Reaches out with the help of only one hand
• Is unable to roll over in either direction
• Inability to do sitting, crawling & knee walk
• History of epilepsy, recurrent chest infection, inability to speck, dribbling of saliva.
• Along with symptom mentioned above in the age group of under 6 months.

The best doctor for cerebral palsy in India will not just look at the main symptoms of this disorder but associated ones as well. These may include feeding difficulties, seizures, learning disorders, attention deficit and more.

Exercises For Children With Cerebral Palsy

One of the best methods to enable locomotion in a body affected by Cerebral Palsy (CP) is to undertake regular exercises. The advantages of such exercises include enhanced muscle tone, better flexibility, more strength, trunk balance, and mobility. Even though exercises also help to strengthen the bones, a CP patient must exert himself or herself only under the supervision of the best doctor for cerebral palsy in India.

A normal baby can move its limbs continuously without any efforts, but a child diagnosed with CP will find these spontaneous movements difficult. Such babies are relatively inactive as compared to other babies, and so exercises are essential for them. Motor and sensory exercises are essential for the development of cognitive skills. Even parents can spend time with CP children and help them perform exercises, but only after consultation from the expert.

Examples of exercises for children with Cerebral Palsy

1. Leg and arm cycling are excellent for such children. This exercise can be performed indoors with the help of stationary machines. Children will be able to strengthen their muscles through this.

2. Stretching is an important exercise, but caution should be taken. Strenuous exercise can break the weak bone and causes muscle soreness. Stretching exercise for a long duration can over lengthen the few important muscles. Stretching is only needed in spastic and short muscle only. All kind of stretching exercise is prohibited in dyskinetic & ataxic CP.

3. Joint mobilization is a very common exercise practiced in cerebral palsy. It is a traditional form of exercise and does more harm than benefit to these children so it should not be practiced.

4. Simple activities such as climbing stairs, creeping, crawling knee walk, picking & transferring the object is help a lot these children.

5. Child play can be encouraged by allowing play with musical, light, vibratory & different textured toys. This exercise is important for the sake of developing touch and improving functional activities.

6. The use of the following tools help in physical therapy:

Free weights
Resistance bands
Electric stimulation of muscle
Hot and cold packs
Exercise balls

7. Lying down on the tummy helps to stretch hips at the front, and gravity enables the knees to be straightened. If the child lies with arms up to the sides it helps stretch the shoulders. Time spent on the tummy aids in sitting balance and development of head control Parents must make it a point to be involved with physical therapy after consultation from the best doctor for cerebral palsy in India. It will certainly help to motivate the child.

How To Help Children Affeceted with Cerebral Palsy Through Physical Exercise?

One of the best ways to relieve oneself of the pain, muscle stiffness and lack of mobility experienced due tocerebral palsy India isphysiotherapy.In fact, the therapy is the mainstay treatment and prevention for future health problems. Special techniques used for rehabilitation of cerebral palsy children are NDT, SI, TRP , MRP , Strengthening, stretching exercises & many others, which are very specifically designed for cerebral palsy.

With the use of physical therapy, motor skills are prevented from becoming worse over time. But these techniques are much more useful if applied at very early age. Also the extent to which it can help would depend on the type and case of CP and its severity. Children below two years of age require only physiotherapy but between 2 to six years they may require botulinum toxin injection if spasticity interferes with therapy, after ten years of age if rigidity and deformity develops then it may require a specific surgical technique. But some time general orthopedic surgical techniques may make child to worse. Only highly specific techniques can benefit in some selected 10% children. Also botulinum toxin injection helps in managing spasticity & surgery does correct deformity but these must be added with correct physiotherapy for long term functional benefit.

The sooner physical therapy is started, the better chances a child has for improvement.

Physical therapy is carried out through a variety of physical exercises. These exercises help in improvement of the following:

Posture
Pain management
Flexibility
Endurance
Balance
Strength
Overall health
Gait
Functional capacity

Benefits of Physical Therapy

The types of exercises depend upon type of patient, and thereby have specific benefits as per type of cerebral palsy. Some benefits of exercises for cerebral palsy India are:

Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT): These are very important especially in early age children who have not gained developmental milestones. We cannot simply jump for any kind of therapy. The child has to pass through all the stages in due course of time

Sensory integration (SI): cerebral palsy kids frequently have problems with any of their senses like touch, vision, hearing etc. If brought at early age before the maturity of brain they can be benefitted by SI techniques.

Strength training is done for week muscles, stretching is done to tight muscle but should be gentle

Tone relaxing posture (TRP): if muscle tone is high in particular muscle group, some specific techniques are used to relax the tone so as to aid for exercise. Specially designed for dyskinetic CP.

Yoga posture & meditation : Few Yoga posture & meditation technique are very helpful in relaxing the child and keep flexible & healthy joint.

Cerebral palsy in children can be classified on the basis of location of movement issues:

1) Monoplegia- There is movement problem in one limb

2) Hemiplegia– Movement restricted to one half of the body

3)Diplegia– Movements restricted to either the torso or legs

4) Quadriplegia– Movements in all the four limbs and trunk are affected