Cerebral Palsy

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Prevention

The best prescription for having a healthy baby is to have regular prenatal care and good nutrition, and to avoid smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug abuse. Other forms of prevention include:

Prevent head injuries by using child safety seats in automobiles and helmets when riding bicycles, skateboards, etc. Supervise young children closely during bathing and swimming. Prevent child abuse. Keep poisons out of reach.

Treat jaundice in newborns with phototherapy. Exposing jaundiced babies to special blue lights that break down bile pigments and prevent them from building up and causing brain damage. In rare cases, a blood transfusion may be necessary.

Identify potential Rh incompatibility in expectant mothers. Incompatible Rh factor usually is not problematic with first pregnancies, as the mother's body typically produces the unwanted antibodies only after delivery. A special serum given after each delivery can prevent the production of antibodies.

If antibodies develop during a first pregnancy, or if antibody production is not prevented, the developing baby is monitored closely. If necessary, a transfusion may be given to the infant in the womb or an exchange transfusion may be given after birth, removing and replacing a large volume of the infant's blood.

Be vaccinated against German measles (rubella) before becoming pregnant.

Alternative Therapies
Adults with CP may benefit from alternative therapies such as acupuncture, massage, osteopathy, and homeopathy.

Support Groups
To meet the challenges of cerebral palsy, patients, families, and caregivers need help and support. There are many government-supported and private voluntary groups that provide information about prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as clinical and support services.

Prognosis

Most people with cerebral palsy experience a normal life span. Those with severe forms of CP may have a reduced life span. As people with cerebral palsy age, they may experience long-term effects of chronic physical impairment, such as the following:

• Increase in spasms
• Increase in shortening of muscles (contractures)
• Joint problems (e.g., pain, loss of flexibility)
• Tight muscles
• Increase in back pain
• Emergence of incontinence
• Increase in incontinence
• Reduced energy levels

Factors that contribute to these effects include:

• Poor wheelchair seating and posture
• Spinal deformities
• Weight gain
• Severe learning disability
• Discontinuance of physical therapy
• Walking when it is increasingly difficult
• Inappropriate orthopedic surgery

Physical exhaustion from inadequate rest or recovery from illness or injury can lead to an overall decline in physical and mental function. Ways to maintain physical function include the following:

• Appropriate wheelchair seating and posture
• Assume various positions out of the wheelchair
• Use a wheelchair when fatigued and when walking is difficult
• Regular and appropriate exercise, including stretching exercises and exercises to maintain flexibility in joints
• Maintain ideal weight
• Have regular medical check-ups
• Avoid sustained mental stress
• Carefully consider proposed surgery
• Plan for appropriate rehabilitation after surgery

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