Description:<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Possible Causes and Risk Factors:<\/strong> <\/p>\n Interventions:<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":762,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nCerebral palsy (CP) comes from brain damage, impacting a person\u2019s muscles and their ability to move and balance. It does not get worse over time.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kuhenza.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/diagram.jpg\")
Signs and Symptoms:<\/strong> (There is wide variation in the number, type and severity of signs and symptoms people experience)
\n\u2022 Usually occurs before, during, soon after birth
\n\u2022 Impacts all limbs (quadriplegia), one arm and one leg (hemiplegia), or just the legs (diplegia)
\n\u2022 Stiff muscles causing their hands, arms, legs or feet to seem stuck in a position they cannot change and have uncontrollable movements
\n\u2022 Muscles around the mouth may be impacted causing difficult or absent speech
\n\u2022 Child may not hold their head up (floppy neck), sit up, crawl, or walk at the time when other\u00a0 children typically do or appear unbalanced.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u2022 Some are unable to walk but more with CP can walk than those who cannot
\n\u2022 Half with CP can learn like any other child while others have learning challenges
\n\u2022 Some may have other disorders like epilepsy, hearing or vision impairments, autism, etc.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kuhenza.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/CP-brain-595x360.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kuhenza.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/CP-boys.jpg\")
\u2022 Damage to certain parts of the brain before birth, during birth, or during the first years of a child\u2019s life, while the brain is still developing.
\n\u2022 Loss of oxygen to the infant immediately before or during birth often indicated by lack of crying connected to long labor.
\n\u2022 Exposure to infectious diseases that impact the brain before birth or in a very young child like malaria, measles, meningitis, etc., jaundice, hydrocephalus, heart problems, bleeding in the brain, or sickle cell disease\u2022 Accidents that cause injury to the brain<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 There is no medication or surgery that can cure CP
\n\u2022 As young as possible, receive professional physical, speech and\/ or therapy services and see them often to improve their abilities
\n\u2022 As young as possible, receive professional physical, speech and\/ or therapy services, some of which family and community members can learn to do at home
\n\u2022 For people with CP who are unable or have difficulty walking, ensure they are not just in one position, soiled clothes are changed often, and kept clean to avoid infections or other problems
\n\u2022 Children whose ability to learn is impacted, should have a teacher with specialized training
\n\u2022 Daily exercise through play and interaction with family and community members will help with mobility and emotional health
\n\u2022 Strengthen muscles and bones with a healthy diet and if they have trouble swallowing, make the food soft
\nand feed them in small portions at a time
\n\u2022 Because many children look, move, or speak differently, it is important that family and community members do not make the child feel bad by staring or mocking them and to teach other children to do the same to improve the quality of this child\u2019s life.<\/p>\n