Bells Palsy, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Cerebral palsy denotes motor movement disorders that commonly occur during childhood. ‘Cerebral’ refers to the cerebral cortex of the brain, while ‘palsy’ refers to decreased function of the muscles. It occurs as a result of impairment or damage to the parts of the brain that control movement (1). These are the motor areas of the brain found in the cerebral cortex. The cells of the brain (neurons) do not undergo cell division; hence, the damaged part cannot be repaired. This makes cerebral palsy incurable.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of cerebral palsy are variable depending on the severity of the disease. The disease can be diagnosed when the children have reached the developmental period, which requires them to walk, crawl and stand. These children show delayed development, and their bodies appear to be either stiff or flabby. As the child grows, irregular tendon and muscle growth occurs, resulting in contractures. This leaves the child being clumsy, in mild cases, to being unable to coordinate movement at all in severe cases. The movement disorders can be described in three ways, which include ataxia, dyskinesia, or spasticity (2). Ataxia refers to poor balance. Dyskinesia is the occurrence of uncontrollable movements, such as tremors, while spasticity is the rigidity of the muscles. This leads to four types of cerebral palsy according to symptoms; spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, or mixed cerebral palsy. Apart from the movement disorders, features of cognition insufficiencies and communication problems also occur with the muscular problems.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis is typically made through observation and investigation of the child’s development. If any noticeable delays are noted, further investigations should be done. The movement of the child also offers good diagnostic value, especially when he/she is in the walking stage. For information on the exact cause of the disease, a CT or an MRI scan can be done. The MRI is more specific in terms of results and does less harm to the patient. This offers a view of the brain of the patient, allowing a definitive diagnosis. Knowing the area of the brain that is damaged is important in planning effective treatment programs that are beneficial to the patient.

Treatment

Cerebral palsy has no cure. The disease cannot be reversed. The only option involves improving the lives of the people with the disease. This can be done through the use of medicines to reduce tremors and pain. Botulinum toxin and Diazepam have been shown to be effective for general use in people with the disease. Surgery can also be done to correct any abnormalities caused by the disease, such as improper bone development (4). This is used mainly on the adults and adolescents where the bone is developing. The use of walking aids and braces can help the affected people move around. Patients with speech motor disabilities can undergo speech therapy programs. Communication aids are also available for use by these people. A variety of therapy regimes are available to target the required muscles. Swimming, fitness training, and bimanual training are also beneficial.

Education and Follow-Up

The parents/guardians will have to take an active role in the management of the child. They should be made aware of the benefits of early treatment of the disease to get their cooperation. They should be observant of their child’s development to make sure that the disease is not getting worse. They are also responsible for ensuring that the child takes all of the prescribed medicines to the latter. Any reactive responses or exaggerated side effects should be reported immediately to the doctor for assessment.

Prognosis

Cerebral palsy has no cure. The disease, however, does not progress as the brain does not get damaged anymore. However, the symptoms typically worsen over time and affect the quality of life. Some of the people with cerebral palsy are unable to learn normally and require special schooling. If the impairments are severe, they also require comprehensive care. They also experience precocious puberty even though their fertility is not affected. Cerebral palsy leads to a decrease in the life expectancy of the individual (3). Around 8% of the children diagnosed with this disease die in childhood.

Conclusion

Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormalities in the brain development of children. It presents with problems of movement and posture, as well as speech and intellect problems. The affected children should be taken to a qualified care provider for management of the condition. Education is key in getting the parents on board with the treatment plans and ensuring they fully participate. The disease has no cure; thus, long-term care is necessary. Follow up of the patients is required to monitor their growth and complications that may arise. The disease leads to a decrease in the life expectancy of the affected individuals.

References

Mailleux, L., Simon-Martinez, C., Klingels, K., Jaspers, E., Desloovere, K., Demaerel, P., … & Feys, H. (2017). Structural brain damage and upper limb kinematics in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 11, 607 https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00607

Monbaliu, E., Himmelmann, K., Lin, J. P., Ortibus, E., Bonouvrié, L., Feys, H., … & Dan, B. (2017). Clinical presentation and management of dyskinetic cerebral palsy. The Lancet Neurology, 16(9), 741-749 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30252-1

Tsubouchi, Y., Tanabe, A., Saito, Y., Noma, H., & Maegaki, Y. (2019). Long?term prognosis of epilepsy in patients with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 61(9), 1067-1073 https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14188

Eggenberger, S., Boucard, C., Schoeberlein, A., Guzman, R., Limacher, A., Surbek, D., & Mueller, M. (2019). Stem cell treatment and cerebral palsy: systemic review and meta-analysis. World journal of stem cells, 11(10), 891 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6828595/