Psychological characteristics of children with cerebral palsy: what parents need to know

Cerebral palsy is a group of diseases in which motor functions and posture are impaired. This is due to a brain injury or a disorder of brain formation. This disease is one of the most common causes of permanent disability in children. Cerebral palsy occurs in approximately 2 cases per thousand people.

Cerebral palsy causes reflex movements that a person cannot control and tightness of the muscle, which can affect part or all of the body. These disorders can range from moderate to severe. There may also be intellectual disability, seizures, visual and hearing impairment.

Accepting the diagnosis of cerebral palsy can sometimes be a difficult task for parents.

Causes of the disease

Cerebral palsy is a common disease.
Its frequency is approximately 2 children per 1000 births, and data may vary depending on the region. The cause of the disorder, like any other cerebral palsy, is pathological changes in the cerebral cortex, subcortical structures, capsules or brain stem. The difference between cerebral palsy and other similar disorders is only in the time of its diagnosis (postnatal period) and the disturbance in the manifestation of reflexes. Cerebral palsy is the result of abnormal development of brain structures or damage to a healthy brain. The process can occur both during pregnancy and childbirth, and in the early neonatal period.

Among the causes of this disease are the following:

premature birth or birth trauma;
multiple pregnancy;
infectious diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy, as well as mercury poisoning;
traumatic brain injuries in the early neonatal period or in the first few years of life.

Cerebral palsy is not considered a genetic disease, since most of its cases occur in pathologies of pregnancy and childbirth. However, in 2% of cases inheritance is traced to an autosomal recessive type. Up to half of children with a similar diagnosis were born prematurely. The remaining patients were twins in multiple pregnancies, had low birth weight, or were born by instrumental delivery or emergency cesarean section. It is believed that asphyxia (insufficient oxygen supply to the brain) is one of the factors that can trigger cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy can also develop in children born at term. Among the causes that cause such pathologies, birth trauma comes first. In the early neonatal period, they can be caused by brain injuries and other types of brain dysfunction. Heavy metal poisoning, jaundice, stroke - all these factors lead to impaired blood circulation in the cerebral cortex, which affects their normal development. In a healthy child, cerebral palsy can be a consequence of drowning or other cases in which temporary cessation of breathing occurs, as well as inflammatory diseases of the brain, including those of infectious origin.

Symptoms

Even when the condition is present at birth, symptoms of cerebral palsy (CP) may not be noticed until the child is between 1 and 3 years of age. This happens due to the growth characteristics of the child. Neither doctors nor parents may pay attention to disturbances in the child’s motor sphere until these disturbances become obvious. Children may retain newborn reflex movements without age-appropriate development of movement skills. And sometimes the first to pay attention to a child’s underdevelopment are nannies. If cerebral palsy is severe, then the symptoms of this disease are already detected in the newborn. But the appearance of symptoms depends on the type of cerebral palsy.

The most common symptoms of severe cerebral palsy are

Swallowing and sucking problems
Faint scream
Cramps.
Unusual child poses. The body can be very relaxed or very strong hyperextension with arms and legs spread out. These positions are significantly different from those that occur with colic in newborns.

Some problems associated with cerebral palsy become more obvious over time or develop as the child grows. These may include:

Muscle wasting in injured arms or legs. Problems in the nervous system impair movement in the injured arms and legs, and muscle inactivity affects muscle growth.
Pathological sensations and perceptions. Some patients with cerebral palsy are very sensitive to pain. Even normal everyday activities such as brushing your teeth can be painful. Pathological sensations may also affect the ability to identify objects by touch (for example, distinguish a soft ball from a hard one).
Skin irritation. Drooling, which is common, can lead to irritation of the skin around the mouth, chin and chest.
Dental problems. Children who have difficulty brushing their teeth are at risk for gum disease and tooth decay. Medicines used to prevent seizures may also contribute to the development of gum disease.
Accidents. Falls and other accidents are risks associated with impaired coordination of movements, as well as in the presence of convulsive attacks.
Infections and somatic diseases. Adults with cerebral palsy are at high risk of heart and lung diseases. For example, in severe cases of cerebral palsy, problems arise with swallowing and when choking, some of the food enters the trachea, which contributes to lung diseases (pneumonia).

All patients with cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) have certain problems with body movement and posture, but many babies do not show signs of cerebral palsy at birth and sometimes only nannies or caregivers are the first to pay attention to deviations in the child’s movements that contradict age criteria. Signs of cerebral palsy may become more obvious as the child grows. Some developing disorders may not become apparent until after the child's first year. The brain injury that causes cerebral palsy does not appear for a long time, but the effects may appear, change, or become more severe as the child gets older.

The specific effects of cerebral palsy depend on its type and severity, level of mental development and the presence of other complications and diseases.

The type of cerebral palsy determines the child's motor impairment.

Most patients with cerebral palsy have spastic cerebral palsy. Its presence can affect both all parts of the body and individual parts. For example, a child with spastic cerebral palsy may have symptoms primarily in one leg or one side of the body. Most children usually try to adapt to impaired motor functions. Some patients can even live independently and work, requiring only occasional assistance from others. In cases where there are impairments in both legs, patients require a wheelchair or other devices that compensate for motor functions.

Complete cerebral palsy causes the most severe problems. Severe spastic cerebral palsy and choreoathetoid cerebral palsy are types of complete paralysis. Many of these patients are unable to care for themselves due to both motor and intellectual impairments and require constant care. Complications such as seizures and other long-term physical consequences of cerebral palsy are difficult to predict until the child is 1 to 3 years old. But sometimes such predictions are not possible until the child reaches school age, and in the process of studying, communicative intellectual and other abilities can be analyzed

The severity of mental impairment, if any, is a strong predictor of daily functioning. Slightly more than half of patients who have cerebral palsy have some degree of intellectual disability. Children with spastic quadriplegia usually have severe cognitive impairment.
Other conditions, such as hearing impairments or problems, often occur with cerebral palsy. Sometimes these disorders are noted immediately; in other cases they are not detected until the child gets older.

In addition, just like people with normal physical development, people with cerebral palsy experience social and emotional problems throughout their lives. Since their physical defects exacerbate problems, patients with cerebral palsy need the attention and understanding of other people.

Most patients with cerebral palsy survive to adulthood, but their life expectancy is somewhat shorter. Much depends on how severe the form of cerebral palsy is and the presence of complications. Some patients with cerebral palsy even have the opportunity to work, especially with the development of computer technology, such opportunities have increased significantly.

Cerebral palsy is classified according to the type of body movement and posture problem.

Spastic (pyramidal) cerebral palsy

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type. A patient with spastic cerebral palsy develops stiff muscles in some parts of the body that are unable to relax. Contractures occur in damaged joints, and the range of movements in them is sharply limited. In addition, patients with spastic cerebral palsy have problems with coordination of movements, speech disorders and disturbances in swallowing processes.

There are four types of spastic cerebral palsy, grouped according to how many limbs are involved. Hemiplegia - one arm and one leg on one side of the body or both legs (diplegia or paraplegia). They are the most common types of spastic cerebral palsy.

Monoplegia: Only one arm or leg is impaired.
Quadriplegia: Both arms and both legs are involved. Usually in such cases there is damage to the brain stem and, accordingly, this is manifested by swallowing disorders. In newborns with quadriplegia, there may be disturbances in sucking, swallowing, weak crying, and the body may be weak or, on the contrary, tense. Often, upon contact with a child, hypertonicity of the torso appears. The child may sleep a lot and not show interest in his surroundings.
Triplegia: Either both arms and one leg or both legs and one arm are caused.

Non-spastic (extrapyramidal) cerebral palsy

Non-spastic forms of cerebral palsy include dyskinetic cerebral palsy (divided into athetoid and dystonic forms) and ataxic cerebral palsy.

Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is associated with muscle tone that ranges from moderate to severe. In some cases, there are uncontrollable jerks or involuntary slow movements. These movements most often involve the muscles of the face and neck, arms, legs, and sometimes the lower back. The athetoid type (hyperkinetic) type of cerebral palsy is characterized by relaxed muscles during sleep with minor twitching and grimacing. If the muscles of the face and mouth are involved, there may be disturbances in the process of eating, drooling, choking on food (water) and the appearance of inappropriate facial expressions.
Ataxic cerebral palsy is the rarest type of cerebral palsy and affects the entire body. Pathological movements occur in the torso, arms and legs.

Ataxic cerebral palsy is manifested by the following problems:

Body imbalance
Impaired precise movements. For example, the patient cannot reach the desired object with his hand or perform even simple movements (for example, bringing a cup directly to the mouth). Often only one hand is able to reach the object; the other hand may shake as it tries to move the object. The patient is often unable to button clothes, write, or use scissors.
Coordination of movements. A person with ataxic cerebral palsy may walk with too long steps or with their feet spread wide apart.
Mixed cerebral palsy
Some children have symptoms of more than one type of cerebral palsy. For example, spastic legs (symptoms of spastic cerebral palsy related to diplegia) and problems with facial muscle control (symptoms of dyskinetic CP).
Total body cerebral palsy affects the entire body to varying degrees. Complications from cerebral palsy and other health problems are most likely to develop when the entire body is involved rather than isolated parts.

Forms of cerebral palsy and their clinical manifestations

In the first days and months of life, a child with cerebral palsy may not differ from his peers, and symptoms of the disease appear later. Their severity depends on the degree of brain damage, as well as the timeliness of diagnosis and treatment.

The clinical picture of cerebral palsy may include the following disorders:

increase or decrease in the tone of certain muscles;
skeletal deformity;
long-term preservation of reflexes, which normally disappear between the ages of 6 and 8 months;
impaired reflexes, including swallowing;
mental retardation, hearing and vision problems;
convulsive syndrome.

Doctors at the Clinical Brain Institute argue that any changes in a child’s behavior should be a reason for additional examination. Currently, to determine an accurate diagnosis, a generally accepted classification is used, which identifies 5 main forms of cerebral palsy.

Diagnostics

Symptoms of cerebral palsy may not be present or detected at birth. Therefore, the attending physician observing the newborn must carefully monitor the child so as not to miss symptoms. However, you should not over-diagnose cerebral palsy, since many motor disorders in children of this age are transient. Often, the diagnosis can only be made several years after the birth of the child, when movement disorders can be noticed. Diagnosis of cerebral palsy is based on monitoring the physical development of the child, the presence of various deviations in physical and intellectual development, test data and instrumental research methods such as MRI. Diagnosis of cerebral palsy includes:

Gathering information about the baby's medical history, including details about the pregnancy. Quite often, the presence of developmental delay is reported by parents themselves or it is revealed during professional examinations in children's institutions.
A physical examination is necessary to identify signs of cerebral palsy. During a physical examination, the doctor evaluates how long the baby's newborn reflexes last compared to normal periods. In addition, muscle function, posture, hearing function, and vision are assessed.
Tests to detect a latent form of the disease. Developmental questionnaires and other tests help determine the extent of developmental delays.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head, which may be done to identify abnormalities in the brain.

The complex of these diagnostic approaches makes it possible to make a diagnosis.

If the diagnosis is unclear, additional tests may be ordered to evaluate the condition of the brain and to rule out possible other diseases. Tests may include:

Additional questionnaires.
Computed tomography (CT) of the head.
Ultrasound examination of the brain.

Assessment and management of cerebral palsy

After cerebral palsy is diagnosed, the child must be further examined and other diseases that may be present simultaneously with cerebral palsy be identified.

Other developmental delays in addition to those already identified. Developing abilities need to be assessed periodically to see if new symptoms such as speech delay appear as the child's nervous system is continually developing.
Intellectual delay can be detected using certain tests.
Convulsive episodes. Electroencephalography (EEG) is used to look for abnormal activity in the brain if a child has a history of seizures.
Problems with feeding and swallowing.
Vision or hearing problems.
Behavior problems.

Most often, a doctor can predict many of the long-term physical aspects of cerebral palsy when the child is between 1 and 3 years old. But sometimes such predictions are not possible until the child reaches school age, when deviations can be detected during learning and the development of communication abilities.

Some children need repeat testing, which may include:

X-rays to detect hip dislocations (subluxations). Children with cerebral palsy usually undergo several x-rays between the ages of 2 and 5 years. In addition, x-rays may be ordered if there is pain in the hips or if there are signs of hip dislocation. It is also possible to order a spinal x-ray to identify deformities in the spine.
Gait analysis, which helps identify disorders and adjust treatment tactics.

Additional examination methods are prescribed if necessary and indicated.

Psycho-emotional and personal development of the child

The degree to which a child’s psycho-emotional development deviates from normal indicators depends on many factors. And first of all, this is the mental development of the child and the degree of damage to his brain. However, the attitude of the people around the child is no less important.

Psycho-emotional abnormalities in children with cerebral palsy can manifest themselves in different ways. Thus, some children are overly irritable, excitable, and are characterized by sudden changes in mood throughout the day.

Some guys, on the contrary, are shy, fearful, they have difficulty making contact with others, and do not show initiative in their actions.

Most children are characterized by delayed mental development of the infantilism type. This means that they exhibit underdevelopment of the emotional-volitional sphere of personality.

Intelligence in such cases may correspond to the norm. However, it is the emotional sphere that is revealed to be immature.

Parents of a sick child should know that all responsibility for his mental development, for the formation of his character, etc. lies with them. Excessive care and compassion will ultimately lead to the fact that he will withdraw into himself even more and will not develop as a person.

Paresis

Paresis can be observed in only one limb, being unilateral, or cover all limbs. There is a violation of pronunciation speech (dysarthria). If the pathology is accompanied by paresis of the muscles of the larynx and pharynx, then difficulties arise when swallowing (dysphagia). Often, cerebral palsy is accompanied by a significant increase in muscle tone, and skeletal deformations typical for this disease are formed (chest deformities, scoliosis). Cerebral palsy occurs with the formation of joint contractures, which aggravates movement disorders. This leads to the development of chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, back and legs.

With cerebral palsy, strabismus, disruption of the digestive system, respiratory disorders, and urinary incontinence may occur. In approximately 20-40% of cases, the disease occurs with epilepsy. About 60% of such children have problems with vision and hearing. Complete deafness or hearing loss is possible. In half of the cases, the disease is combined with endocrine pathology and is accompanied by various stages of mental retardation, mental retardation, perception disorders, learning disabilities, behavioral abnormalities, etc. However, about 35% of children have normal intelligence.

The nature of children's behavior

In cases of mental development disorders associated with cerebral palsy, the following features in the behavior of children are observed:

the child is guided mainly by emotions associated with pleasure;
Children with cerebral palsy are characterized by egocentricity;
they cannot work purposefully in a team;
they do not know how to correlate their own interests with the interests of the people around them;
there are elements of infantility in behavior;
even at high school age, such children have an increased interest in games;
they are extremely suggestible, incapable of volitional efforts on themselves;
behavior is also characterized by instability of emotions, disinhibition;
children tend to get tired quickly;
they have difficulty adapting to new conditions, they have various fears - most often fear of heights, darkness, etc.;
children are very sensitive to the mood and behavior of others, which is reflected in increased impressionability: incidents that are neutral for other children can cause a violent reaction in them.
Sleep disturbances, nightmares, and nighttime anxiety are common.

The main causes of cerebral palsy after childbirth

The main causes of cerebral palsy in the postpartum stage are hemolytic disease and asphyxia of the newborn, which may be associated with aspiration of amniotic fluid, lung malformations, and pregnancy pathologies. The most common postpartum cause of the disease is toxic brain damage due to hemolytic disease, which develops as a result of an immunological conflict or incompatibility of the blood of the fetus and mother.

What affects the life expectancy of people with cerebral palsy?

Features of physical development

Impaired motor activity in cerebral palsy leads to curvature of the spine, contractures and other pathologies of internal organs. To prevent complications, it is very important to form muscle tone.

All work and attention of parents should be directed to the correct formation of motor functions. The most appropriate interventions would be massage and therapeutic exercises.

The main thing in classes is their early start, as well as continuity. The success of treatment will depend on this.

A set of exercises is selected depending on the severity of the disease and individual developmental characteristics. Corrective work comes down to the formation of vital skills, such as the ability to walk and take care of oneself.

The acquired skills must be adapted to everyday life, constantly practiced until they become automatic.

Features of motor development of children with cerebral palsy:

it is necessary to stimulate his interest in outdoor games;
you need to develop fine motor skills;
it is also necessary to form a correct image of your body;
It is also important to stimulate communication with others;
At every opportunity, it is necessary to develop the child’s self-care skills.

Development of fine motor skills in children with cerebral palsy:

Etiological factors

Etiological factors affecting during intrauterine development are various pathologies of pregnancy:

fetoplacental insufficiency;
toxicosis;
premature placental abruption;
nephropathy of pregnancy,
Rhesus conflict;
infections (rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes, toxoplasmosis, syphilis);
threat of miscarriage;
somatic pathologies of the mother (hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, heart defects, arterial hypertension) and injuries she suffered during pregnancy.

Risk factors influencing the occurrence of cerebral palsy during childbirth include:

breech presentation of the fetus;
premature, prolonged or rapid labor;
large fruit;
narrow pelvis;
discoordinated labor;
a long anhydrous period before delivery.

Factors influencing the child's will

Factors influencing the will of the child can be divided into:

external, which include the conditions and nature of the disease, the attitude of others towards the sick child;
and internal ones, such as the child’s attitude towards himself and his own illness.

Weakness of will in most children suffering from cerebral palsy is directly related to the characteristics of their upbringing. Very often in a family with a sick child, one can observe the following picture: the attention of loved ones is focused exclusively on his illness, parents show concern about every issue, limit the child’s independence, fearing that he may get hurt or fall, or be awkward. In such a situation, the child himself will inevitably be overly restless and anxious. Even infants subtly feel the mood of loved ones and the atmosphere of the space around them, which are fully transmitted to them. This axiom is true for all children - both sick and healthy. What can we say about children suffering from musculoskeletal disorders, who are distinguished by increased impressionability and acuteness of feelings?

Or another picture: an unhappy mother who, while caring for her child, forgets about her own life and becomes a hostage to illness. She looks tired and unhappy. But any child needs a happy mother, capable of giving love and warmth, and not her health and nerves. For a sick baby, this need is a thousand times greater.

All this leads to the fact that the child grows up lacking initiative, unsure of his strengths and capabilities, and timid. He resigns himself to his illness and does not strive for independence. He expects in advance that those around him will do everything for him. Over time, the child gets used to this state of affairs and finds it comfortable. And from here comes a pronounced egocentrism, the desire to manipulate people.

The importance of the educational position of parents in relation to children with cerebral palsy is confirmed by the fact that the children among them with a high level of volitional development come from families that are prosperous in terms of the psychological climate. In such families, parents are not fixated on the child’s illness. They stimulate and encourage his independence within acceptable limits. They try to form adequate self-esteem in the child. Their attitude can be expressed by the formula: “If you are not like others, this does not mean that you are worse.”

We must not lose sight of the child’s own attitude towards the illness. It is obvious that he is also significantly influenced by the situation in the family. Studies have shown that awareness of the defect in children with cerebral palsy manifests itself by the age of 7-8 years and is associated with their worries about the unkind attitude of others and lack of communication.

Children can react to the current situation in different ways:

the child withdraws into himself, becomes overly timid, vulnerable, and strives for solitude;
the child becomes aggressive and easily enters into conflict.

The difficult task of forming a child’s attitude towards his own physical defect again falls on the shoulders of the parents. Obviously, this difficult period of development requires special patience and understanding from them. The help of specialists should not be neglected. For example, it is quite possible to overcome a child’s worries about his appearance thanks to well-organized psychological work with him.

Thus, the characteristics of the development of the personality and emotional-volitional sphere of a child with cerebral palsy largely depend not only on the specifics of the disease, but primarily on the attitude of parents and relatives towards the child. Therefore, you should not assume that the reason for all the failures and difficulties of upbringing is the baby’s illness. Believe me, you have enough opportunities in your hands to make your baby a full-fledged personality and just a happy person.

Complications of cerebral palsy

Among the main and most common complications of cerebral palsy the following may be noted:

Orthopedic and surgical complications: developmental disorders of the hip joints, curvature of the knee joints, forearms and feet.
Epileptic syndrome, which manifests itself as seizures, is especially common in the hemiparetic form of cerebral palsy. Convulsions aggravate the course of the disease, cause some difficulties with rehabilitation and pose a great danger to life. In patients with cerebral palsy, various forms of epilepsy occur, both benign with a positive prognosis and extremely severe.
Cognitive disorders, which include disorders of memory, intelligence, attention and speech. The main speech disorders in cerebral palsy are stuttering, pronunciation disorders (dysarthria), lack of speech in cases of preserved hearing and intelligence (alalia), and inhibition of speech development. Speech and movement disorders are interconnected, therefore each form of pathological condition is characterized by specific changes in speech.

Practical recommendations

If your child has sleep disturbances, try to adjust his daily routine. It is necessary to create a calm environment for him, to refuse overly active, noisy games before bedtime. As far as possible, reduce the effect of external stimuli on his senses. Stop listening to music, or let it be soft, unobtrusive instrumental compositions. (Songs with lyrics in a language familiar to the child will be an additional burden for perception, and, therefore, another irritant that prevents the child from relaxing and falling asleep.) Limit watching TV.
In order for a child to develop an adequate assessment of himself and the world, parents and loved ones, it is necessary to abandon excessive guardianship towards him. The strength of the child’s volitional qualities will depend on how the family perceives the child – as a disabled person who is unable to achieve success in life, or as a person, albeit in some ways different from those around him, but taking an active life position.
If in the process of working with a child you notice that he is tired - has become irritable, aggressive, or, on the contrary, is overly withdrawn - you should not try to continue working. In order for work with a child to be fruitful, he himself must first of all be interested in it. It's better to take a break, offer him something to play, or just leave him alone for a while. It is likely that after some time the baby will regain energy, and you will be able to continue your activities with renewed vigor.

The need for the development and education of children with cerebral palsy

Even 20 years ago, they did not always agree to educate such children; there were very few boarding schools for them. The problem of this disease and the adaptation of children in society fell entirely on the parents, who often did not have special knowledge and did not fully understand the essence of the diagnosis. Because of this, the child's life was deplorable. There is no opportunity to learn, communicate, develop - this only aggravated the condition. Society's attitude to the problem was negative: children were pitied while they were small, but teenagers and adults with cerebral palsy were simply not accepted into educational institutions or to work. They remained unclaimed.

Recently, the problem of social adaptation of children with disabilities has been treated differently. Of course, at any time, left without any opportunities for development, such a baby will sharply deteriorate. Even if he retains his intellectual function, he loses many opportunities and loses his personality. Children must be given opportunities for learning, communication, games, and normal children's activities. Of course, as much as possible.

Unfortunately, among the causes of childhood disability, cerebral palsy occupies one of the leading positions. From birth, children need constant adult help, supervision, and care. Many of them find it difficult to enter society and begin to communicate even at the simplest level. This is often due to the special behavior of such children: they are irritable, whiny, and sometimes aggressive.

“Where did you get a job with such and such a diagnosis?!”

Yana Kuchina , 30 years old, editor, journalist, person with cerebral palsy:

In a person with cerebral palsy (even the very name of this diagnosis is deceitful: it is not “childish”; this condition remains with the person for life), no matter how successful the rehabilitation is, deterioration may occur. You don’t need a great reason for this, like an accident or a compound fracture; it’s enough to get sick with the flu for a long time, wear bad shoes, suddenly gain twenty kilograms, or just get old.

And we have to remember again about rehabilitation, even for those adults who did without it. The local neurologist knows little or very little about cerebral palsy and will only help with a referral to the nearest specialized government agency.

At one time I got what was next to Tsaritsyn Park, at my place of registration. It is impossible to choose any other establishment, even within your city or region.

I was “treated” for three months and it didn’t help? So you're not trying hard!

These institutions do not provide consultations; there is no way to get a set of exercises to take home or a list of procedures that you could spend one and a half to two hours a day on. Do you want to be treated? Get hospitalized! Once a year, the state will pay for a course of treatment for something that cannot be cured. Hospitalized for at least a month. An extract is necessary to extend disability and receive all benefits and benefits.

It doesn’t matter that you may have school, or work, or family. Firstly, they explain to you right from the start that health is more important, and secondly, how can you have a job, study or family with such and such a diagnosis?

Then you are slowly prescribed procedures. Massage - ten times, therapeutic exercises in a group, magnets, mud and anything else, depending on your luck. This helps a little. Well, that is, you sat at the computer for eight hours a day, and then you started walking according to a schedule, eating unsalted food, swimming in the pool, doing bends in the gym. If I had gone to this institution as a healthy person, I would definitely have felt better within a month. But this, as we understand, is not my case.

Okay, let’s say specialists can be retrained. Replace the procedures, redo the daily routine, replace exercise therapy with classes with physical therapists who know the Feldenkrais method, Vojta, and who develop original methods. It’s unclear how miraculously this could happen, but let’s say.

What if I still have a job? If I was hired under the Labor Code, I pay taxes, support my family and my vacation is two weeks in a row, no more? Should I quit my job? What if I felt bad not once a year, but twice? If I have small children, I would be happy to live for two weeks on tasteless food and government-issued bedspreads, but I can’t. What if I just want to go to the sea on my vacation? All? I can’t wish for this, with such and such a diagnosis? And what should I do when I’m discharged home, and a month later my back or heel hurts so much that it’s difficult to sleep? Where can I get help?

I am studying physical therapist courses, we are studying the Feldenkrais method. It is not like the gymnastics that everyone is used to: “Raise your right leg as high as possible, repeat a hundred times; raise your left leg...” The Feldenkrais Method works by creating new neural connections. Simply put, we teach our brain to move. It is common to think that movement is a common, natural good and does not need to be specially studied. But anyone who has spent time with young children knows that a child is constantly learning to move.

The child tries to hit the blanket with his hand a hundred times in a row, reach for the red thing, reach for the cat. First he learns to raise his head, then to crawl, then to sit, stand against the wall, and then he lets go of his hands and takes the first step - twelve months after birth. After twelve months of daily continuous training.

People with cerebral palsy cannot move. The brain injury prevented the movement learning process from starting on its own. They also want to grab food, scratch their nose, but they don’t know how and won’t learn without help. Feldenkrais physical therapists teach people to move in a variety of ways so that the human brain can independently choose the best way, the easiest and most effective. We all choose almost the same thing, which is why we walk almost the same way.

During classes using the Feldenkrais method, people do not repeat the same movement a hundred times, which they no longer succeed in, as with exercise therapy. People learn to do this movement. That's the difference.

Ideally, every adult with cerebral palsy should be seen by a physical therapist and they should plan rehabilitation together. There are periods in life when it is not needed at all, everything works and nothing hurts, but you still have to get into such a period.

Course rehabilitation, i.e. Rehabilitation once a year or once every six months, even if effective, is not suitable for a person with cerebral palsy, because the acquired skills are quickly lost, and in fact, you start over again every time. Well, if you were lucky, then again, and if there was a deterioration over the year, then I’m sorry.

Now you are even more terminally ill, congratulations!

In addition, each person has his own potential and character. Some people are ready to train for an hour a day, while others have a hard time with ten minutes. And everyone's desires are different. Some people drive a car and don’t suffer at all because they can’t ride a scooter to the Danilovsky market; others have been dreaming of skiing for forty years and don’t know that, in principle, it’s possible. You just need a special coach, here is his WhatsApp number. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to integrate a support system into everyday life, to make it accessible, like McDonald’s, so that a person can maintain his health without stopping living.

Determination of mental readiness for learning

Children with cerebral palsy undergo regular examinations by a doctor. Based on the physical condition and mental development of the child, the doctor determines whether he can study at school. Next comes choosing the type of school. If the intellect is well preserved and the degree of damage to the nervous system is minimal, then such children can study in a regular school. They may not be the best students, but it is quite possible to finish school. Then they are offered the opportunity to undergo specialized training and find a job.

If your mental state or the severity of your physical condition does not allow you to attend a regular school, then doctors recommend special educational institutions. In extreme cases, the child is considered unteachable. Such situations are rare, with severe damage to the nervous system.

The main parameters for determining the possibility of learning are the personal, intellectual and volitional characteristics of the development of children. Every component is important.

Home schooling

This type of training is preferable. There is a familiar atmosphere here, there are opportunities for relaxation, breaks for sleep and food. The school definitely cannot offer this. On the other hand, there must be someone who is constantly with the child and supervises the activities. Teachers will come to the student. Here he is deprived of the function of communicating with other children, which is not very good: he will not have full social experience, like other children. Such children develop worse speech, and their behavior becomes even more unstable. Parents and teachers make concessions to him and often indulge his desires - this has a negative impact on personal development.

Education is not all that children with cerebral palsy need. You will need the supervision of a doctor, and sometimes the presence of a nurse. Massages and a swimming pool are very helpful in relieving stress and pain from muscle tension. They will also have to be visited regularly. This is also an opportunity to develop your child according to an individual program.

Of course, a child or teenager feels comfortable at home, they are surrounded by the care of their parents. If upbringing is done correctly, children can be quite gentle and understanding. The better the intellect is preserved, the easier it is to cultivate normal moral qualities. The main thing for adults to remember is that their child will not always remain small. We need to prepare him for adult life as much as possible.

Studying at a regular school

Some schools accept children with similar problems. But there are many “buts” that need to be taken into account before the baby sits down at the desk with everyone else.

It all depends on several factors:

physical and intellectual learning ability;
permission from a doctor to attend an educational institution;
minimal student aggression;
the school's ability to accommodate a disabled child;
availability of qualified teachers in the field of defectology.

Unfortunately, it does not often happen that all these factors are met and a student with cerebral palsy can attend a regular school. Most often, he is sent to home-based training, external studies. It is also very important to choose a special program and approach to the baby. The usual situation: a class of 20-30 people, one teacher - it is impossible to pay attention to everyone. And a child with such a disease needs the constant participation and help of a teacher.

In addition, he cannot always move around on his own, climb stairs, or go to the toilet. His mother or nurse should be with him. This also makes attending a regular school very difficult. Here, non-acceptance by the team comes into the background, but it is no less important. Your baby, like anyone else, wants to have friends and normal relationships. Due to the problems and physical manifestations of the disease, he may be the object of ridicule and even bullying. Parents should take this into account, even if they have the opportunity to attend school and have a normal level of intelligence.

Why a regular school is not always suitable

Traditional public school is most often not suitable for children with disabilities, and here are the main reasons:

the infrastructure of the school grounds and classrooms may not be suitable, for example, there are often no ramps and elevators;
the pace of study brings discomfort and takes a lot of energy, for example, in high school the daily schedule consists of 7-8 lessons;
The format of a public school does not allow a child to be productive - the requirements of the program do not correlate with the student’s capabilities, and children with disabilities may find it more difficult to write by hand, keep up with the teacher’s speaking speed, or focus on one task for a long time.

Distance learning for children with disabilities can solve these problems, as it makes the educational process more individualized. An online school can adapt to the needs of a child with a disability and provide the most comfortable conditions for classes.

Specialized boarding schools

Such boarding schools usually accept pupils for 5-6 days a week, and their parents pick them up only on weekends and holidays. Most often, their recipients are patients with severe cerebral palsy. This sounds very harsh and is equivalent to abandoning a sick child. But not every person has the time, means and energy to care for their child, and therefore it is better to place him in a boarding school, where he will communicate with the same “special” children and under the constant supervision of teachers and doctors.

As a rule, everyone is divided into groups depending on their capabilities and skills. And after completing the training, each graduate receives a certificate, lessons are held as in a regular school. In addition to general education subjects, physical education and classes are conducted that promote the development of many skills. There is a nanny and a doctor; if necessary, you can sign up for a massage.

North Ossetian information portal “REGION15.RU”.

The diagnosis of “cerebral palsy”, heard by parents at an appointment with a pediatric neurologist, always causes anxiety, and after it a huge number of questions about the causes, prognosis and existing treatment methods. The barrage of contradictory information that parents get from the Internet leads to even greater confusion and psychological difficulties and, as a consequence, to late seeking qualified medical help.

In a conversation with a correspondent of the 15th Region, the chief freelance specialist of the Ministry of Health of North Ossetia for child rehabilitation, Zarema Kanukova, spoke about the essence of this disease, the importance of early intervention, and the key points in modern rehabilitation methods.

What is cerebral palsy?

The term cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a group of diseases of the central nervous system, which are manifested primarily by movement disorders (impaired muscle tone, decreased muscle strength, impaired coordination of movements). There is no cerebral palsy without movement disorders, but a significant proportion of patients (75%) experience speech impairments, delayed intellectual development (15–20%), and seizures (15–25%).

The cause of the disease is a violation of the proper development of the brain or its damage under the influence of a combination of unfavorable factors during pregnancy, during childbirth or immediately after birth.

Cerebral palsy is a problem in pediatric neurology throughout the world. The number of people affected by cerebral palsy on the planet varies from one to three children per thousand births. According to many experts, the incidence of cerebral palsy remains almost unchanged from decade to decade. Statistics that seem paradoxical at first glance have their own explanation: on the one hand, the progress of neonatology makes it possible to care for premature and low-birth-weight children with severe damage to the nervous system, thereby replenishing the ranks of our little patients. At the same time, developing medicine and modern rehabilitation technologies, with timely and adequate treatment, prevent the irreversible consequences of cerebral palsy in children with a more favorable prognosis, minimizing existing limitations in life. Thus, these two processes constantly compensate each other.

At what age is cerebral palsy diagnosed?

It is difficult to determine cerebral palsy in the first year of life; its symptoms often become obvious later. Nevertheless, it is possible to suspect severe perinatal damage to the central nervous system with a high risk of cerebral palsy already in the first months of life. Making a diagnosis in a timely manner means starting treatment in a timely manner and significantly making the future life of the baby much easier.

What should parents pay attention to?

If your pregnancy proceeded with complications, if you have information that your child suffered complications during childbirth or in the first days of life, it is fundamentally important to systematically show him to a pediatrician and neurologist. It often happens that it is the parents, in whose eyes the baby is developing, who direct the local pediatrician towards more careful observation and an early (and therefore timely) start to rehabilitation.

Naturally, parents will not be able to establish a diagnosis on their own. However, they can pay attention to some symptoms that indicate pathologies in the child’s central nervous system. For example, a delay in the emergence of motor skills and a delay in speech development are serious reasons for anxiety. To monitor the development of the child’s motor and mental functions, all parents can be advised to keep a diary of the baby’s development, which will indicate his main achievements.

Parents can also pay attention to the fact that the muscles of the baby’s arms and legs are flaccid and weak or too tense (muscle hypotonia, hypertonicity, spasticity), trembling of the head, torso, arms and legs, difficulties in swallowing or sucking, excessive salivation, stereotypic and pretentious movements (the child freezes in a certain position for some period or makes involuntary movements, nodding his head), dominance of one side of the body when moving (uses only one hand, dragging his leg when walking), violation of consistency and accuracy movements.

If you notice such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor!

Can cerebral palsy be cured?

Unfortunately, damage to the central nervous system cannot be completely cured, but this does not mean that a patient with cerebral palsy cannot be helped. And the most important thing for parents and pediatricians is to understand that the brain of a child in the first year of life has enormous potential for recovery after acquired damage. That is why it is necessary to establish a diagnosis as early as possible and begin adequate rehabilitation. If everything is done correctly and on time, the function of the damaged nerve cells will be taken over by the cells of the unaffected parts of the brain. The child’s brain is very plastic; even children with severe forms of the disease, with persistent rehabilitation work, can demonstrate good and sometimes surprising results.

How to choose the right treatment method?

Let's start with what you definitely shouldn't do: rely on the experience of other mothers, recipes from the Internet, stories from neighbors and advice from relatives. All children, even with the same form of cerebral palsy, are different from each other. Each child with this diagnosis has his own rehabilitation prognosis and rehabilitation potential, the so-called “corridor of motor capabilities”, unique to him alone, and therefore it is important to follow an individual rehabilitation program that is maximally adapted to your child. This program is compiled by specialists from a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team, which usually includes a neurologist, pediatrician, orthopedist, physiotherapist, ophthalmologist, teacher, psychologist, and speech therapist.

Doctors and parents often unreasonably give preference to drug treatment methods. We are faced with the prescription of a huge number of drugs that are carried out in intensive courses, burdening the child’s body with an unreasonable and ineffective pharmacological load. Alas, there is no universal pill or medicine for the treatment of cerebral palsy. Treatment of cerebral palsy is a way of life in a constant rehabilitation regime, which begins after birth and does not end even in adulthood. Our main task is to create motor abilities for the baby to move independently, teach him self-care and communication skills.

Thus, the only method of “treating” children with cerebral palsy can be considered complex motor habilitation, which, in turn, cannot be reduced to simple formulas like “physical therapy, massage, spa treatment.”

One of the most difficult and significant problems that interfere with the development of motor functions in patients with cerebral palsy is spasticity. The existing increase in muscle tone gradually leads to a limitation of functionality, contributes to the emergence of pathological attitudes, the formation of contractures, subluxations and dislocations of joints. In fact, spasticity can lead to a whole range of motor disorders, and in some cases, to immobility of the patient.

How to deal with increased muscle tone (spasticity)?

Currently, the following methods for correcting spasticity have been developed and used:

• functional neurosurgery, including destructive operations (transection of peripheral nerves, dorsal selective rhizotomy, selective destruction of deep brain structures);

• neuromodulating operations (intrathecal administration of baclofen, chronic epidural stimulation of the spinal cord);

• oral antispastic drugs;

• local injections of botulinum toxin type A into spastic muscles;

• methods of physical rehabilitation, physiotherapy and natural factors.

All of the above methods have age restrictions, for example, botulinum therapy is not used until two years of age, and massive neuroorthopedic and neurosurgical interventions are undesirable. At the same time, as mentioned above, it is this period that requires early intervention, since at this time a great potential for neuronal plasticity remains.

The goal of rehabilitation in children under two years of age is to form the correct physiological stereotype of movement against the background of extinguishing pathological tonic reflexes, maintaining the length and elasticity of tendons and muscles subject to pathological increases in tone, and preventing joint contractures. In this case, the most effective methods for forming a motor stereotype are Vojta therapy and special gymnastics that copy the physiological postures of healthy children.

What is Vojta therapy?

Vojta therapy has been used since birth. The basics of diagnostics and therapy using this method were discovered in the 50s. 20th century Czech neurologist, Professor V. Vojta. The author proceeded from the fact that the physiological motor pattern is present in every person from birth. The basis of the concept is reflex-locomotion, which implies the use in rehabilitation of crawling and turning reflexes, that is, partial patterns responsible for posture, resistance to gravity and movement.

The Vojta therapy method is not aimed at training a specific movement, but at creating models of coordinated work of autochthonous muscles and muscles of the limbs, which will subsequently be used to build a chain of necessary movements. Performing the exercise consists of fixing the child in a certain position and applying hand pressure to the selected area. The choice of zone is carried out individually depending on the motor disorders and the response received. Parents are obligatory participants in the process; during rehabilitation, they learn the basics of the technique and continue the therapy they started at home. Vojta therapy is carried out not only to develop specific ontogenetic skills, but also to stabilize the position of the pelvis, head and spine, and therefore can be continued, if necessary, in subsequent stages.

We have seen the effectiveness of Vojta Therapy, especially for young children, in the example of young patients at our center. Many years of experience in monitoring patients before and after treatment allows us to recommend this method as one of the most effective in combating the threat of severe forms of cerebral palsy.

As an example, I would like to share two medical stories, or rather, stories of the development and life of little heroes and their wonderful parents. Such examples, in our opinion, give hope, strength and patience to many families faced with a child’s illness.

Clinical case 1

The parents of three-month-old Kostya came to the consultation with complaints of frequent shuddering, stretching of arms and legs, restlessness when feeding, and sleep disturbances. When collecting an obstetric history, risk factors for damage to the central nervous system were identified: pregnancy pathology in the form of threatened miscarriage, chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia, difficult labor, low Apgar score. Examination of Kostya revealed high muscle tone with frequent dystonic attacks, hyperkinesis in the form of frequent arm swings. At three months, the boy still could not hold his head up and had trouble focusing his eyes. A course of Vojta therapy was prescribed. Kostya had a hard time with the first two procedures, crying almost constantly, which frightened his parents, and they were ready to refuse treatment. But on the third day they themselves noticed a decrease in muscle tone and a decrease in hyperkinesis. We decided to continue, and after ten days of treatment the child was examined by a neurologist. The first result: holds the head, fixes the gaze, a tendency to decrease muscle tone. Kostya completed four such courses, with an interval of 1.5–2 months, during breaks he visited the children's pool, where exercises in water and infant swimming were also carried out. Final examination per year: the child sits, crawls on all fours, tries to stand with support and step with support on his full foot, gurgles and babbles, manifestations of dystonia and hypertonicity have been minimized.

And, to our great joy, the diagnosis of cerebral palsy never appeared in Kostya’s medical record. We managed because we started early and because all this time our young patient’s parents and I were on the same “frequency” of trust and faith.

Clinical case 2

At Milan's initial appointment, 1 year and 1 month. The mother's complaints about delayed psychomotor development: the girl has been holding her head since 5 months, does not roll over on her side on her own, does not sit, does not crawl, does not stand.

She was born premature at 32–33 weeks, weighing 1800, Apgar score 6–7 points; was nursing in the neonatal pathology department of the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital. She was observed at her place of residence by a pediatrician and a neurologist, and several courses of drug treatment and massage were administered. During a neurological examination, Milana’s condition was assessed as severe according to her neurological status; the child was 1 year and 1 month old. does not move, muscle tone in the legs and arms is greatly increased, movements in large joints are sharply limited, tendon reflexes are high on both sides. Mental and speech development does not suffer, the girl understands spoken speech, pronounces individual short words, and is interested in the world around her. Diagnosis: cerebral palsy. Spastic tetraparesis. After the first course of Vojta therapy, with only one shift, Milana learned to roll over on her side in both directions. Two more courses of Vojta therapy were carried out, alternating with a course of therapeutic exercises. At 1 year and 7 months, Milana sits, tries to crawl on her belly, and stands with support on her “toes.”

The girl’s parents actively took part in the rehabilitation, mastered the elements of therapeutic exercises and the basics of Vojta therapy, built a mini-stadium in Milana’s room and continued to study independently, completing the homework of our specialist in kinesitherapy and Vojta therapy. At the age of 2 years, the child crawls on all fours, stands against a support, and walks with support. Milana's main goal is to walk independently, which means she still has a lot of effort: Vojta therapy, botulinum therapy, gymnastics, orthotics.

This case from practice, unlike the first, demonstrates the late onset of motor habilitation, which, fortunately for Milana, is compensated by the consciousness and perseverance of the parents.

Whatever rehabilitation method you choose, your child will need care and a lot of daily work, since the main principle of rehabilitation is continuity and consistency. Be prepared for the fact that after one course of treatment the child will not get up and walk, but only some changes will appear, barely noticeable to others, but very significant for the child, be it an increase in muscle strength, motivation, or even the emergence of a new skill, such as crawling .

For complete rehabilitation, close cooperation between doctors and parents is necessary. Parents cannot achieve acceptable results without the knowledge and experience of doctors, and the work of doctors will not be effective without the daily painstaking work of parents and constant work with the child. This is our joint route to small and big victories.

Extra education

In addition to the fact that a child needs to learn to read, write, and count, it is also necessary to develop his other skills, such as motor skills. For patients diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it is necessary to undergo regular massages, which eliminates pain from muscle tension. It is also necessary to learn to swim, which will have a positive effect on the development of the nervous system.

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy does not mean that your child will never learn to speak, wash himself, brush his teeth and understand others. It all depends on how it is dealt with, what programs and methods are used for development. But educational technologies do not stand still; a lot of programs have been invented for children with this diagnosis that are easy to use at home.

Parental help

If a child has cerebral palsy, the main task of education lies with the parents. No educational institution, no certified teacher, no even the noblest state education system can replace parental care and control. But you shouldn’t think that caring for a child, even one with disabilities, is some kind of difficult task - all the necessary skills and desire to care are inherent in parents by nature. But not only do parents have natural potential, the child also has abilities that are given to him from birth; the task of parents is to reveal the abilities of their daughter or son and help him adapt to life.

Mother's love overcomes barriers

Parents and teachers need to pay attention to psychological and pedagogical points:

It is necessary to pay less attention to the illness, and more to the development of the child himself, to the assertion of his independence and responsibility. Show that his presence in your life gives you happiness, and the child will respond with redoubled efforts, being active in the right direction, just to bring satisfaction and praise from his parents. Also develop courage, perseverance and other character traits needed to achieve success in life.
Teach your child that all people are different, and just because he is special does not mean that he is worse. You can emphasize that if a person doesn’t do something better than others, then something else can work out better. The human body tends to compensate for deficiencies; if difficulties arise, a person can achieve results in other ways. For example, if a person cannot earn money through physical labor, he can be diligent and earn much more through mental labor.
It takes daily focused work. If you want to achieve a certain result in your studies or physical development, you need to take small steps - every day you need to put a brick in the building that you want to build. Don’t put it off “for later” because “later” never comes.
Physical deficiencies can be compensated for by more significant qualities - intelligence, moral values. But physically, there is no need to be upset - if an ordinary person can become an Olympic champion, then a person, even with significant physical limitations, can lead a completely ordinary life through training and fully take care of himself.
There is no need to have pity for the child, not only in terms of physical assistance, but there is no need to even look at him with pity. Be demanding without regard to illness, and the child will feel healthy. Even if it is difficult, he will be grateful that at least in the family he is treated as a full-fledged member of society, and he will transfer these feelings into real adult life.
Being demanding does not mean demanding the impossible. The child is sick, there is no need to deny this, one must constantly strive for recovery, but if one does not accept the disease for what it is, then one does not strive to eliminate it. If the disease progresses or does not recede at an insufficient rate, you need to treat treatment as an integral work that needs to be done daily.

Treatment

Unfortunately, the disease is completely incurable, but modern medicine can improve its course, consequently, the child’s state of life and the prognosis of cerebral palsy (how long people live with such a diagnosis).

There is no standard therapeutic procedure; each patient requires a specific approach. The goal of treatment is to alleviate the patient's movement disorders, develop his personality and skills, and aim to increase independence and quality of life.

The fundamental stone of treatment, through which the disease can be better predicted, is regular physical therapy, not only with a physical therapist, but also with the help of parents, according to a predetermined plan. Frequently used therapeutic methods are the Voight exercises or the Bobath concept, which increase the chances of maximum recovery.

The Voight Method, or reflexive locomotion, is based on the theory that a person's movement patterns are encoded in the brain, and applying pressure to specific places in specific positions activates them.

The Bobath method is based on a general approach to the child. In infants and bedridden patients, the carrying, lifting, turning, feeding method is mainly used. Thus, Bobath's concept uses the child's own actions. The therapy uses movements that occur in everyday life. Massages or exercises in the pool are carried out at the same time.

Hydrotherapy or hippotherapy also helps. With the right attitude towards a child, you can influence his condition from the first days.

The family of a person with cerebral palsy is an important part of the therapeutic process and is involved in the planning and implementation of treatment.

If cerebral palsy affects the facial muscles, treatment should begin with visits to a speech therapist. The help of a psychologist or special educator is also recommended.

If rehabilitation treatment does not help, muscle stiffness or weakness persists, orthopedic surgery must be performed to restore muscle balance.

To alleviate secondary diseases, drugs are used (against epilepsy or to relax muscle spasms), drugs that support brain metabolism.

The effects of muscle stiffness are relieved by antispasmodic medications such as botulinum toxin and muscle relaxants. Moderate to severe muscle imbalances are compensated by various orthoses, crutches and other compensatory devices.

Treatment for cerebral palsy takes a long time, sometimes lifelong.

Positive emotions

Social educators and psychologists are very good. You need to listen to their advice and draw conclusions. But the child also needs to be given the opportunity to go to church, where he will improve both in the short and long term. Christianity cannot be considered only as a moral teaching; it is also healing, both spiritual and very real, physical.

It is also very important for a child to expand his horizons. It’s good, of course, if you have a computer at home, and it can be used both for games and for learning and work. But we must not forget that children love to play with their peers. It would be good if he had friends, and real ones, and not through social networks. An ordinary club will not work, but perhaps in the city there is an opportunity to spend time with other children with cerebral palsy, and even better - with healthy children. Even if he cannot draw, sing, dance, sometimes it is enough just to look at other children from the outside, and not only new impressions and emotions will arise, but a desire to improve his own life will arise.

Going to exhibitions, theaters, performances, dance competitions, various crowded events, city holidays - this should be present in life on a regular basis. But man does not live by only one culture. No matter how difficult it may be, you need to get out into nature - fishing, a beach holiday by the river or local lake. If possible, organize a resort vacation. Of course, all this is problematic, but we must take into account that these efforts have a good effect not only on the child, but also on the parents - there is an opportunity to communicate more closely with the child, and his positive emotions, his joy will pass on to the father and mother, who, caring about the child, they automatically take care of themselves.

Can cerebral palsy be cured?

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a group of non-progressive conditions that are associated with damage to the brain early in its development (in utero, during childbirth, or in the first two years of life).

It follows from this that it is impossible to “cure” cerebral palsy, since we cannot eliminate the cause of the motor deficit - structural disorders in the central nervous system.

But the consequences of this damage can be compensated to varying (sometimes significant!) degrees.

In order to properly organize the movement of a child with cerebral palsy, it is necessary, first of all, to normalize muscle tone, make maximum use of sensory information, and carry out competent correction of motor disorders.

This requires long-term rehabilitation.

There are many methods, but the basis for successful recovery is exercise therapy, exercise therapy, massages, classes with a speech therapist, speech pathologist, and psychologist.

Work with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy must be comprehensive. And, of course, medication support is needed, which is prescribed by a doctor.

Reasons for the development of cerebral palsy

According to scientific data, this pathology occurs as a result of the influence of various damaging factors on the child’s central nervous system, which cause abnormal development or death of certain parts of the brain. Moreover, the impact of such factors is observed in the perinatal period - before, during and in the first 4 weeks of the child’s life. The main pathogenetic link in the development of cerebral palsy is hypoxia, the occurrence of which is caused by various causative factors. First of all, those areas of the brain that are responsible for providing reflex motor mechanisms and maintaining balance are affected. As a result, paresis and paralysis typical of this disease, muscle tone disorders, and pathological acts of movement occur.

Many patients are interested in how many years people with cerebral palsy live.

Small conclusion

Thus, inclusive education, at its core, is an excellent opportunity for children with special needs to enter an atmosphere of social communication. We can only hope that it will be fully implemented in the post-Soviet space.

The opportunity for different children, with different abilities, to be together, make friends, play, learn to help each other, take care of each other and understand that all people are different, but everyone lives together on the same Planet and under the same sky. It’s just that among them there are those who are the same as the others, only they have fewer opportunities, but they have the opportunity to say - I’m learning!