Cerebral Palsy Case Studies

CEREBRAL PALSY
Cerebral Palsy is regarded as a group of permanent movement disorders happening in early childhood. Children suffering from this impairment normally have the problems of poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, struggling to feed themselves and swallowing, some cannot speak properly. Because of these problems children who have cerebral palsy are unable to do what a baby does during its growth as they cannot sit, crawl, roll over and walk like other normal children of their age do.
Cerebral Palsy is also known as CP. Cerebral has something to with the brain and Palsy is when the person has a problem in using the muscles. Cerebral Palsy can be mild, it can also be moderate as well as severe. When the CP is regarded as being

moderate is whereby a person struggles to handle things. Moderate CP is whereby a child can have difficulty in walking because of the damaged leg or foot. Therefore a person may use a special leg brace. When the CP is severe can affect all parts of the child’s physical abilities. When the child has moderate or severe CP might have to use a wheelchair as well as other special equipment designed for them.
CAUSES OF THE CEREBRAL PALSY
It is believed that Cerebral Palsy is being caused by abnormal development or damage to the parts of the brain that has something to do with the controlling of the movement, balance and posture.

It has been discovered that problems regarding cerebral palsy normally happening while women are pregnant and may proceed and be seen during childbirth as well as shortly after the birth of the child. Therapists at Tembaletu have explained that the cause of the problems is

unknown.
CHARACTERISTICS DO LEARNERS WITH THIS IMPAIRMENT HAVE
The physiotherapist who always works with learners that have cerebral palsy has informed me that I can easily identify any one who has this kind of disability as she or he will have features such as abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, poor coordination, struggling to feed themselves, some learners cannot speak properly.

Other learners cannot even feel that they need to go to the toilet, therefore they really need to be monitored and taken care of. It is also believed that some children could have a joint and bone deformities because of this impairment. Physiotherapists at Tembaletu LSEN have explained that these symptoms are spasticity, spasms as well as other involuntary movements whereby you would see learners having problems with balancing. Other learners have problems with knees that would come in and cross (scissor walking) and toe walking and these are normally seen to people that have cerebral palsy who are able to walk. They also mentioned that the babies that are born with severe cerebral palsy have irregular posture as their bodies may floppy or stiff. Others are born with birth defects such as having spinal problems, small jawbones as well as small heads. When other babies are born cerebral palsy impairments cannot easily be identified, but as the child reaches a certain developmental age symptoms start showing up and several tests will be done to the child. The conditions that these children experience can have seizures, epilepsy, apraxia, dysarthria, sensory

impairments, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders.