Cerebral Palsy
As a general term Cerebral Palsy (CP) covers a range of disabilities which have been caused by brain damage in children & adults.
Cerebral Palsy may be categorised into three main types. The categories are based on the characteristics of the disease or the part of the brain that has been damaged and each type may require different methods of treatment.
All three types may cause different issues for the patients. However, the most common issues that the patient may face with CP include:
- Epilepsy
- Loss of hearing or vision
- Spinal deformities
- Joint problems
- Intellectual disability or learning difficulties
- Emotional or behaviour wellbeing
- Saliva control
- Eating and drinking issues
- Movement disabilities
The following points discuss three general categories of CP.
Spastic cerebral palsy
Spastic CP is known as the most common type of CP. Patients with this type of CP may suffer from having stiff and tightness of the muscles or joints.
There are also three more categories of Spastic CP with each category having different characteristics. For instance, for those with spastic diplegia, the patient experiences muscle stiffness on the legs.
Ataxic cerebral palsy
Ataxic CP impacts on the balance and coordination of the patient. The impacts are due to interruptions in the control of the muscle in legs and arms which results in having shaky or unsteady movements.
Children with this type of CP may also suffer from eating, hearing, issues with their vision or having imprecise motor skills.
Dyskinetic (athetoid) cerebral palsy
This category of CP relates to the patient having involuntary and abnormal movements. Dyskinetic CP is classified into further categories. The classification is done based on types of involuntary movements. For instance, the category of Dystonia is for patients with slow movements of arms, legs, or torso.
Physiotherapy for Cerebral Palsy
There is no known cure for CP. However, physical therapy can be beneficial for patients with this disease.
The goals in your physiotherapy sessions include:
- Strengthening the weaker muscles to help with balance and coordination to prevent falls
- Providing advice and support with posture
- Treatments for pain management
- Providing advice with a range of exercises to improve muscle tone, flexibility
- Providing support for the patient to participate in sport and other leisure activities
In your initial appointment, a professional physiotherapist will assess your condition and provide you with a treatment plan that best suits your circumstances and needs.
At Merrylands Rehab Centre
At Merrylands Rehab Centre we use the most advanced technological facilities to help you manage your pain in a fast and effective manner. As physiotherapy professionals, we are committed to provide you with the best treatment that suits your circumstances and needs.
Occupational Therapy (OT) for CP
In addition to physiotherapy services, at Merrylands Rehab Centre we also provide our patients with OT services.
OT aims at providing therapy and techniques for patients with CP to help their independence, learning, reducing stress, self esteem and more. For more information in relation to services of OT, check on ‘services’ tab, then click on ‘Occupational therapy’.
The types of treatment we offer include:
- Laser therapy
- Serial Casting
- Splint recommendation and making
- Balance and gait retraining facilitated with lite gait
- Manual stretching
- Shockwave therapy
- Hydrotherapy
- Exercise prescription
- Electrotherapy
- Kinesiology taping
- Rigid taping
- Dry needling
- Manual therapy and hands on treatment
If you have any further questions in relation to this condition, feel free to chat with us on our social media platforms or contact us on (02) 9637 5708.
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