Cerebral palsy doesn’t have a known “cure,” and its symptoms can be quite debilitating, which is why many people believe that this common childhood disability must be a life sentence. However, little do these people know is that the symptoms can be dramatically reduced, and the child can get a “normal” life with early intervention. 

What Is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disabilities affecting our nation’s children. It is caused by an injury to the baby’s brain or a condition that derails healthy brain development. In most children living with CP, the cause of their condition is unknown.

Some of the risk factors that might lead to a CP diagnosis include:

• Low birth weight
• Premature birth
• Genetic predisposition
• Blood clotting in the mother or infant
• Certain infections in the pregnant mother
• Oxygen deprivation during delivery
• Stroke in babies.

CP symptoms vary greatly based on the location and severity of the brain injury, but the most common symptoms include:

• Muscle stiffness or muscle floppiness
• Muscle spasms
• Poor motor control
• Failure to reach certain developmental milestones (such as walking by 18 months)
• Shaking hands
• Swallowing and feeding difficulties
• Constipation
• Poor bladder control
• Sleep issues
• Learning disabilities
• Hearing and vision problems
• Seizures

Why Is Early Diagnosis So Important?

Early diagnosis is critical for early treatment and better outcomes for the child. Many parents realize that there is something wrong with their child when the baby fails to reach normal developmental milestones like sitting and walking or reaches them with great delay.

Another telltale sign of cerebral palsy in a baby is abnormal muscle tone – the baby is either too flabby or too stiff or displays jerky movements. Difficulties with swallowing and feeding are also an early sign. If parents notice any of these signs and symptoms, they need to talk to their child’s treating doctor as soon as possible.

The doctor can put a diagnosis by physical examinations, CT scans, MRI scans, the Apgar test, along with parents’ observations. An early diagnosis will allow parents to seek early intervention to help offset the brain damage and reduce the risk of symptoms getting worse later on.

Is It a Life Sentence?

No, cerebral palsy is not a life sentence if the child benefits from a timely intervention. The most commonly used therapies to address CP are physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Specialized gear might be needed as well, like braces and walkers. 

Parents need to work closely with their child’s doctor and various therapists so that the treatment plan is well-coordinated and comprehensive. A well-thought-out plan can greatly improve a CP patient’s mobility and physical impairments, along with giving the child a big self-esteem boost. 

When done right, early intervention in cerebral palsy can help address muscle tone issues, manage pain, improve mobility, and giving the child the opportunity to a relatively independent life. 

Children with cerebral palsy that had the chance of an early diagnosis and intervention can lead healthy and productive lives. Also, therapy can prevent the appearance of associative conditions, a phenomenon known as post-impairment syndrome, which can lead to painful complications in adult years.

However, in some cases, physical therapy is not enough. Depending on the severity of symptoms, the child may need surgery, pain medication, anti-spastic drugs, assistive technology, and external environmental modifications. If symptoms don’t subside, therapists and doctors might recommend other treatments and medication.

Early intervention is critical to boosting the child’s positive outcomes later on, but therapy can be continued late into childhood and even adulthood. In some cases, therapy is needed several times a week, and so is medication, which can put parents under a severe financial strain in households that usually rely on a single income since one of the parents needs to care for the disabled child 24/7. However, a service provider of NDIS in Townsville tells us that in countries like Australia there is government subsidised help. The National Disability Insurance Scheme or NDIS, is a nationwide initiative that has over 400,000 participants living with disability in Australia and provides assistance in the care, treatment and management of disabilities like cerebral palsy.

Conclusion

When it comes to cerebral palsy, early diagnosis and a timely treatment plan are key to reducing and child’s symptoms and boosting his or her chances of a normal, independent life. But in severe cases, multiple professionals need to work together to improve a child’s diagnosis, which can quickly turn into a heavy financial burden for the child’s caregivers. 

If the disability was caused by a negligent health care professional like a nurse or doctor, parents could seek compensation for their children’s injuries, suffering, and pain. But they need to act fast because, in many states, the deadline for filing a lawsuit on behalf of their disabled child is two to five years from the injury or diagnosis. So it is best to get in touch with a skilled attorney, like this cerebral palsy lawyer Atlanta CP patients can swear by, as soon as you have an “official” diagnosis.

Katherine Webre is a passionate writer with years of experience in legal. She has dedicated her career to represent the most vulnerable among us, children who have suffered severe injustice. Beyond legal action, Katherine also takes up the pen to raise awareness and inform audiences about birth injuries. By sharing her expertise, she hopes to empower people to act against any prejudice and works as a collaborative editor for Birth Injury Lawyer.