Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Health professionals and medical specialists can help manage the symptoms and risk factors, but extensive therapy and treatment are also necessary for cerebral palsy patients.

Many forms of cerebral palsy treatment may help your child overcome and cope with their disabilities and, in time, help him or her lead a semi-normal life.

Early Diagnosis Is Crucial

Treatment is most effective when cerebral palsy is detected in its early stages as it allows physicians to create a plan not only to address symptoms but also to prevent the worsening of conditions associated with the diagnosis and to prevent additional complications.

For all but the most severe cases, the child’s life can be greatly improved by using one or more of many common treatments for the condition. Diagnosing cerebral palsy early in the child’s life allows for more effective early intervention.

How Cerebral Palsy Treatment Works

Every child diagnosed with cerebral palsy will exhibit unique symptoms and require a treatment plan designed to address their disabilities.

Treatment will undoubtedly require the work of multiple specialists— each of whom can help your child in their own area of expertise.

Teams are led by a doctor tasked with the formation of the team, communication between its members and making sure that every team member is on the same page and communicating concerns, and providing updates with the team leader.

Cerebral Palsy Treatment Options

Some forms of potential treatment that may be a part of the plan for a child with medical problems because of cerebral palsy include:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Massage therapy
• Music therapy
• Speech therapy
• Recreational therapy

A treatment plan will usually have more than one form of these therapies. The type of therapy chosen depends on the form of the child’s condition and where they need help. For example, they may be dealing with chronic pain that needs management.

Physical Therapy for Spastic Cerebral Palsy

The most common type of the disease is spastic cerebral palsy, where stiff muscles cause problems with the child’s body movements. They may have muscle spasms or a lack of muscle control. Physical therapy can help them improve muscle tone. It may also relieve pain that is associated with the condition.

The purpose of physical therapy as a treatment for athetoid cerebral palsy is twofold. The diminished motor function of a child with cerebral palsy increases muscle atrophy and spasticity, which eventually results in the affected muscles becoming too weak to perform their intended purposes.

Many people with cerebral palsy are challenged with movement disorders. Physical and occupational therapists can aid in reversing some of the damage that has already occurred and prevent additional atrophy by exercising and strengthening those muscles. Therapy can help lengthen muscles and improve movement.

Speech Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

Many children with cerebral palsy suffer from varying degrees of speech impediments and speech pathologists are able to assist children in forming words and coping with their disabilities.

Speech therapists can help them overcome some of the effects. Speech and language therapy can strengthen the muscles used for speech. If the child cannot speak (as is often the case in severe cases), they could learn sign language during their language therapy protocol.

Massage Therapy

Not only does the stiffness associated with cerebral palsy impact muscle movement, but it can also cause constant physical pain. Massage therapy can help loosen some of the stiffness, reducing the pain and increasing the chance that physical therapy can work.

Massage is meant to be complementary to other forms of treatment for cerebral palsy. This type of treatment involves the manipulation of muscles and connective tissues by a trained therapist. Reduced pain can help with a number of medical conditions and can help the child live a better daily life.

Behavioral Therapy

The purpose of a psychologist is not only to address your child’s emotional needs but also to provide counseling services to the members of your family who may require assistance coping with the stress and emotional pain they are experiencing.

In addition, the psychologist may assess and diagnose destructive behaviors or patterns (neurological disorders) caused by cerebral palsy and provide a plan to address those concerns according to the child’s ability.

Orthopedist

It is not uncommon for children with cerebral palsy to undergo surgeries to repair or strengthen the skeletal and muscular systems when they become degraded as the condition progresses. It can result in joint problems. Some families need to visit orthopedic surgeons.

An orthopedist works with the physical therapist and diagnoses and monitors the progression of muscular and skeletal programs. In cases where surgical intervention is deemed necessary; the orthopedist is responsible for overseeing the procedure. Surgery can help children with stiff muscles and movement issues.

Special Education

These specialists are trained in the management of learning disabilities that may accompany cerebral palsy such as mental retardation, autism, or ADHD. Many children who develop cerebral palsy suffer from an intellectual disability.

A child’s brain will have learning or emotional disabilities during development that are exacerbated by a debilitated physical condition.

The child’s doctor will form and implement a health care plan tailored to the patient’s needs that overcomes their disadvantages to thrive at their peers’ educational levels.

Occupational Therapy

Because cerebral palsy patients must overcome physical, mental, and psychological disadvantages, occupational therapists may be included in the child’s treatment plan to help them learn how to develop fine motor skills, which can be used in school, as part of a career, or in day-to-day tasks.

Occupational therapists allow the child to learn how to eventually obtain independence and a greater quality of life. With occupational therapy, the rehabilitation specialist will work with the child to improve their executive functioning during the course of occupational therapy.

Pediatrician

Your child’s primary care provider would act as the leader of the child’s treatment team and make revisions as needed to their plan as new concerns arise. Children with cerebral palsy will have both a pediatrician and a neurologist on their healthcare team who work together.

Pediatric neurologists or psychiatrists are often selected for this role as they have training that allows them to address needs specific to the child. The doctor would regularly check the child’s well-being and discuss necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.

Recreational Therapy

Recreational therapy allows children to participate in the activities of their choice. It helps them design ways to be a part of life-enhancing social, physical, and mental activities.

It can help stimulate the child’s growth in many areas as it focuses on enjoyable activities, using leisure as palsy treatment.

Alternative Medicine

Many parents consider alternative medicine as an important part of a treatment regimen. Don’t let the name scare you away from considering this as a possible treatment because this type of treatment has definite benefits.

Some of these options include:

• Music therapy (this helps improve development and can be used to complement physical therapy – for example, some of the treatments for cerebral palsy can be set to music)
• Aquatic therapy
• Acupuncture

These are not meant to replace traditional therapy options and surgical procedures. They are meant to accompany physical, occupational, and behavioral therapy to enhance their effectiveness.

Other Therapy Needs to Manage Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

There are many other treatments for cerebral palsy that can affect your child’s condition, for which they may need help. These treatment options include help for:

• Bladder control
• Vision impairment
• Hearing (for which they may need hearing aids)
• Low muscle tone due to a movement disorder
• Spinal cord issues (treatment to correct curvature)
• Poor balance
• Muscle spasticity
• Salivary glands (swallowing problems and a possible feeding tube)
• Help with other daily tasks

Adaptive Equipment

Adaptive equipment will accompany the therapy and make everyday tasks easier for children. This equipment could help children with poor muscle tone or muscle tightness.

It could help in daily activities such as getting dressed or even driving a car as the child gets older. However, adaptive equipment can also be incredibly expensive.

Surgical Procedures

In some cases, surgery may help the child overcome the brain damage and regain some mobility.

Orthopedic surgery will be performed on specific muscles and joints, but it only happens after the child has tried physical and occupational therapy. Surgery can give them a chance at a more normal life.

The Cost of Treatment for CP

The treatment of cerebral palsy requires the skill and attention of a team of specialists throughout the child’s entire lifetime. Medical bills can accumulate quickly when your child’s plan requires such attentive and ongoing care.

According to cerebralpalsy.org and the Centers for Disease Control, the lifetime cost of caring for a child with cerebral palsy is around $1 million, but this estimate does not include economic factors such as emergency room visits, wages lost due to the need for a family member to stay at home or psychological suffering. If your child requires surgery, the costs can grow even more.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

In 1975, the US Congress enacted the original Education for All Handicapped Children Act to ensure every child with a disability, including cerebral palsy, received an education based on their needs.

In 1990, the federal government changed the Act’s title to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, but the basis of the law remained the same. The Act provides assistance to educate all children with disabilities through numerous elements and safeguards.

Filing a Lawsuit for the Costs of Treatments

Treatment costs can become very expensive which is why you need an attorney if your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after a birth injury. The costs can be prohibitive, and the responsible party should be made to pay.

As birth injury attorneys, we fight for you as you seek the financial compensation that you deserve for the harm done to your child. These types of therapy can be very expensive and far beyond the budget of the average family as you seek to treat symptoms of this difficult disease.

A lawsuit can provide for payment for treatments and treatment options for cerebral palsy for their immediate and future care-related needs.

Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Helping Clients

The Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC has represented families just like your own and helped our clients recover compensation to cover these burdensome expenses.

We understand that the last thing you need is to fight tooth and nail with insurance companies over coverage or to lack the assistance needed to give your child the care they deserve— especially if their injuries were the result of someone else’s negligence or reckless actions.

Our cerebral palsy attorneys can help assess and explore your legal options and let you know more about your rights as a parent in a free consultation.

Our cerebral palsy lawyers will help develop a value for your case that can guide your lawsuit or settlement negotiations with the responsible doctor and their insurance company.

Our cerebral palsy attorneys have experience handling birth injury cases involving children with intellectual disabilities such as dyskinetic cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsy, and other types of cerebral palsy.

Call Our Law Firm for a Free Consultation

Contact us today, and we will happily schedule your free consultation at the time and location of your convenience with a birth injury attorney.

You can call us at (888) 424-5757 or reach out to us online to set up a time to discuss your case. Speaking with an attorney at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC is the legal process’s first and most necessary step.

As the last thing you need to worry about is an additional financial burden, you can rest assured that we will never require any payment for our services until we have successfully recovered damages on your behalf for your child’s immediate and future cerebral palsy treatment.

Resources:

• About Cerebral Palsy | CDC
• Understanding Cerebral Palsy | NIH