What is cerebral palsy (CP)? How does physical therapy play a part?
Sara Kester, DPT
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a brain injury before, during, or shortly after birth. Risk factors for cerebral palsy range from premature birth, low birth weight, placenta unable to provide adequate support, loss of oxygen, severe infection during pregnancy, and blood type incompatibility between mother and child. In this article you will find out more about CP and how a physical therapist can help aid in their development.
Definition of Cerebral Palsy
So what is the definition of cerebral palsy? CP is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth.
Cerebral palsy can be broken down to which parts of the body are affected. If only one limb is affected it is called Monoplegia. Hemiplegia affects one side of the body (left or right), whereas, Diplegia affects both legs. Quadriplegic has the most brain damage and all four limbs are affected. It is possible to have a mixed presentation where 3 limbs are affected.
Types of cerebral palsy
Now, there are 4 types of cerebral palsy based on presentations. Most kids will have spastic cerebral palsy where the muscles get very tight and stiff. The others are dykinetic, where the person cannot control the movement, and ataxic which results in shaky movements and poor balance. It is possible to have a mixed presentation.
So what is the treatment for cerebral palsy?
Physical therapy will address multiple aspects of the condition based on the presentation of each child. Generally this will include stretching, strengthening, positioning, casting, bracing, and working closely with other health care professionals. The goal is to get the child as mobile as possible to interact with siblings, school mates, and participate in age-appropriate tasks. There are many different goals that a child with CP might work on including mobility, coordination, strengthening, flexibility, balance, large and fine motor skills, etc.