Cerebral palsy is a group of lifelong movement disorders that appear early in childhood. This condition happens when the developing brain is damaged during or just before birth. It leads to children not having the ability to control movement, muscle tone, balance, and posture. Among all the different types of CP, athetoid cerebral palsy is the second most common type. It is seen in about 12 to 14% of the overall cases. While there is no cure for athetoid cerebral palsy, there are several treatment options available that can help manage symptoms and help children live a more fulfilling life. In today’s blog, we will explore and understand the symptoms and treatment options of athetoid cerebral palsy.
Symptoms of Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
In individuals with athetoid cerebral palsy, the condition is usually characterized by involuntary movements. These movements can range from mild to severe and can significantly impact a person’s day-to-day life. But involuntary movement is not the only symptom. Here is a list of reported symptoms for athetoid cerebral palsy:
- Involuntary movement (like writhing, twisting, and jerking)
- Muscle stiffness
- Speech problems (like stumbling and an unclear speech pattern)
- Drooling
- Feeding difficulties
- Seizures
- Developmental delays
- Vision impairment
- Difficulty hearing
- Constant pain
Muscle tone imbalances are the root cause of the athetoid cerebral palsy common symptoms. They can manifest into two different types: high muscle tone, called hypertonia, and low muscle tone, called hypotonia.
In hypertonia, the muscles are too stiff and rigid. It makes it challenging to move limbs smoothly. In addition, it can even make your movements jerky and uncontrolled, which causes writhing and twisting motions in children with athetoid cerebral palsy. In hypertonia, the muscles are too weak and floppy, making it hard to maintain a posture. Due to the floppiness of the muscles in severe cases, sitting up straight without support is a challenge.
Note: In addition, the severity of the symptoms is also a variable factor when it comes to personalizing treatment. Some children show mild symptoms that do not significantly affect their everyday lives. But on the other hand, children suffering from severe symptoms might even find sitting up straight a daunting task. In a few severe cases, children use assisted devices like walkers or wheelchairs to go about their day. When taken together, athetoid cerebral palsy treatment is more complex and requires doctors to personalize treatment options for the individual.
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy Treatment
Although there is no permanent cure for cerebral palsy at this time, children can grow up to live healthy and fulfilling adult lives. Treatment options for cerebral palsy include a variety of therapies that are all aimed at helping children to be more independent. Once the children start to do day-to-day tasks independently, it also gives a boost to their confidence, which allows them to explore the world for their passion.
Because every child has a unique representation of the diseases, the treatment plan must be tailored to individual needs. There is a need for personalization of the treatment after understanding the underlying cause of the condition. Doctors, after a thorough consideration and evaluation of the child’s case, start with physical and occupational therapy. However, doctors do not solely rely on these therapies; they closely monitor individual responses. Let’s look at these traditional and alternative therapies in detail.
Physical Therapy
It is one of the most basic and essential therapies that doctors incorporate into a treatment plan for children suffering from athetoid CP. It typically involves the use of strength training exercises, resistance bands, and assisted machines to improve low muscle tone. While helping the children improve their overall motility, it also helps them overcome their sensory impairment. The children are able to improve their touch and depth perceptions, which makes movement easier.
The therapy also includes exercises of the face and tongue muscles to help regulate grimacing and drooling symptoms. The doctors also help children with low muscle tone increase the strength of their core muscles to be able to sit in an upright position. All these steps are taken to steer clear of any further complications due to the condition.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy is given to children to enhance the child’s ability to be independent. The therapist will work with the children to make their everyday tasks easier for them. With occupational therapy, they learn to hold objects, write, or use assistive mobility devices.
Therapists use specific exercises that are functional and playful and keep children interested. The therapy allows children to learn how to form relationships that help them build relationships in the real world as well as boost their confidence.
Speech Therapy
A large majority of children diagnosed with CP have challenges speaking, eating, and breathing. In those cases, speech therapy is used to alleviate these symptoms. It enables doctors to incorporate breathing control into the athetoid cerebral palsy treatment plan. In addition, it helps to increase language, vocabulary development, face control, and tongue muscle control. With the ability to express themselves more clearly, children feel an increased sense of confidence, allowing for increased independence.
Surgery
Surgery is among the last lines of treatment that is done to correct the posture of the child. It is done to help relieve the stiffness in the muscle and increase the range of motion for the individual. We would like to mention that it is not a common procedure suggested in athetoid cerebral palsy treatment. But surgery is suggested for children with high muscle tone to correct joint deformities and dislocations.
Stem Cell Treatment for Cerebral Palsy
Stem cell therapy is a regenerative therapy that uses stem cells ability to replace damaged and non-functional cells in the brain. Once they enter the child’s body, they identify the damaged tissue and then repair and regenerate it. Not only do they help regenerate damaged brain cells, but they also secrete tiny bodies that help protect other cells. The stem cells derived from the umbilical cord are multipotent and can differentiate into brain as well as muscle cells. By repairing the damaged brain and muscle tissue, the SCT enables the child to have better control over their movement.
Many children’s parents are combining stem cell therapy as a complementary option with other traditional treatments. It allows the children to learn the task much faster and more quickly. But, one has to note that stem cell therapy is influenced by various factors, such as
- The severity of the condition
- The age of the individual
- The overall health of the patient
It is the reason why one should have a clear conversation about the condition and treatment plan with their doctors. It is an essential step to ensure the best athetoid cerebral palsy treatment for the child. Some doctors even suggest the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cerebral palsy to boost the ability of stem cells to repair. When undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, it helps the stem cells circulate more efficiently in the body.
Last Words
Athetoid cerebral palsy is, in summary, a difficult condition for both the child and the parent. But in order to give the child the best athetoid cerebral palsy treatment, a prompt diagnosis is critical. The physicians will recommend conventional treatments, such as occupational and physical therapy. In certain instances, however, the parent consents to stem cell therapy for cerebral palsy. Having a positive outlook on the situation will allow your child to lead a satisfying life, even if it means experimenting with various treatment options.
Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided is meant for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Seeking guidance from a healthcare provider is crucial when it comes to addressing questions about a medical condition.
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