Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder of the nervous system. Muscle damage and weakness are the main symptoms. There are several types of cerebral palsy, each with different causes of cerebral palsy. Stem cell therapy has become a new form of treatment in CP treatment.
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a non-progressive brain disease that causes the inability to perform movements as a result of muscle coordination or excessive tension of the muscles. Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy are mainly characterized by muscle spasticity, muscle weakness, uncontrolled movements, impaired mobility, speech problems, and difficulties with dressing, bathing, and other activities depending on the area of the brain affected. Such causes of Cerebral Palsy can be attributed to factors before, during, or early childhood. Conventional treatment of cerebral palsy includes symptomatic medication, rehabilitation, and surgical procedures.
Overview
Cerebral Palsy is one of the important disorders affecting the nervous system in childhood. CP is known to affect 2/1000 live births.
It is a permanent disorder of the brain and affects children for life. Damage to the brain is neither progressive nor reversible, meaning that the damaged part does not get worse but cannot be fully repaired.
There are various types of cerebral palsy. Management of children with cerebral palsy depends largely on the way it is affected. Types of cerebral palsy vary depending on the abnormality of movement and the areas of the body affected.
Cerebral palsy formation:
· The causes of prenatal (before birth) cerebral palsy may be due to abnormal development of the brain and other structural malformations.
· Cerebral palsy may develop during birth due to premature birth, low birth weight, delayed crying, injury, or multiple births.
· Perinatal (immediately after birth) cerebral palsy may be caused by lack of oxygen, pathological jaundice, or seizure attacks.
· Alternatively, certain infections of the brain, such as a traumatic brain injury, meningitis, or epilepsy, may lead to an increased risk of cerebral palsy in early childhood.
· Spastic Cerebral Palsy occurs due to damage to the cerebral cortex. This damaged area is the area responsible for providing movements in the body by changing the tension in various muscles. The word spasticity relates to increased tension in the muscles. Children with the spastic type of cerebral palsy will show stiffness in body parts.
· Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is another type of cerebral palsy when the basal ganglia are affected and an obstacle in voluntary muscle movements occurs. This can be classified as the athetoid type, where the movements are sluggish and fragile, or tense, and the movements are very jerky and uncontrollable.
· Ataxic cerebral palsy occurs due to damage to the cerebellum, where it occurs. The main cerebral palsy symptoms are clumsy movements and poor balance. Children with ataxic cerebral palsy may be unable to make rapid alternating movements with their hands and legs, along with a general slowness in their movements. They often lose balance and walk in a zig-zag pattern.
· Hypotonic cerebral palsy also occurs when the cerebellum is damaged. However, unlike spastic cerebral palsy, tension in the muscles is reduced. Children with hypotonic cerebral palsy walk very late in their growing years and are unable to perform voluntary movements. Sitting, standing and balancing postures cannot be performed.
· Mixed cerebral palsy is the condition in which cerebral palsy symptoms of two or more of the above types coexist. This is a rare form of CP and difficult to diagnose.
Clinical signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy:
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· Disorder of voluntary muscle movements
· &nbs p; Limb stiffness or weakness
· gait scissors pattern
· Differences in muscle tone
· Problems with speech, swallowing, etc.
· Momentary involuntary movements
· Inaccuracy with fine motor movements such as buttoning, writing, eating, etc.
· Visual and intellectual movements may be affected in some individuals
Cerebral palsy treatment options
Most of the treatment options available focus on managing cerebral symptoms. Rehabilitation plays an important role in the management of a child with cerebral palsy from the moment of diagnosis. Depending on the symptoms, the physical therapy program should be planned uniquely for each child.
· Physiotherapy prevents joints from becoming tight or contractures by improving mobility, strengthening muscles, and improving the ability to move parts of the body. Exercises help the child learn to sit, stand, and walk.
· Occupational therapy focuses on helping the individual gain independence in all areas of daily life. An occupational therapist works with CP patients using a variety of neurological treatment approaches aimed at neurological integration, closing developmental gaps, improving motor performance, and improving learning skills.
· In addition to physical therapy, aquatic therapy, speech therapy, nutritional guidance, Other occupational therapies, such as psychological intervention and others, may also help the child gain independence.
· Assistive devices, medical and surgical management of symptoms, and Botox are interventions currently used to treat cerebral palsy.
Root. cells and Cerebral Palsy
During or after birth Injury to the brain causes damage to certain parts of the brain, including stem cells in the brain. Stem cells encourage the repair process by going to the injured area of the brain and regenerating. Therefore, stem cell therapy for cerebral palsy helps restore lost cells and form connecting cells. It may also support their survival by introducing other cell types that can recover certain enzymes from the environment.
Stem cells also help reduce the level of harmful chemicals released during injury, protecting surrounding tissues from further damage. These cells also secrete connective tissue growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, interleukins and some chemical messengers that are responsible for cell proliferation, protection of brain cells and angiogenesis/formation of new blood vessels, and restoration of lost tissue function.
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