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Hi Dr Ombeva,
My niece is one year old but she can't sit on her own yet. She can't walk or stand also and is yet to utter a single word. My friend's son had similar symptoms and eventually he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Could my niece be suffering from cerebral palsy, what causes it and can it be treated?
Nkatha
Dear Nkatha,
Thanks for your question. Cerebral
palsy is a set of conditions in which muscle function is affected due to damage that occurred in the brain around the time of birth. It usually is not life threatening and most children should live into adulthood.
It has no cure, and follows a one-time brain injury that causes permanent damage. Cerebral palsy itself does not change for better or worse during a person's lifetime, but associated conditions may improve or worsen over time. It is a chronic problem that cannot be spread from person to person.
Most cases result from abnormal brain development or brain injury prior to birth or during birth. Accidents, abuse, medical malpractice, negligence, infections, and injury are risk factors. Since cerebral palsy affects muscles and a person's ability to control them, it's possible that your sister's daughter has it.
In some situations, the muscles may contract too much, causing stiffness or too little causing floppiness or both. The limbs may be stiff and forced into painful somewhat awkward positions or tremble, affecting balance, posture, and coordination. For some, walking or sitting is difficult, while others have difficulty grasping or holding objects, intellectual impairment, or seizures, and vision or hearing impairment.
Every case is unique to the individual child. One child may have total paralysis and require constant care, while another with partial paralysis might have mild movement tremors but require little assistance. The impairment caused by cerebral palsy can be managed through physiotherapy, occupational therapy, surgery; medications and assistive technology which help maximise independence, reduce barriers, and increase inclusion thus improving the child's quality of life.
— Dr Ombeva Malande is a paediatrics and child health expert
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