Cerebral palsy affects 2.5 children
per 1000 live births.
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BEGAN
RECEIVING
ITB THERAPY:
Age 5
HISTORY:
Cerebral palsy was a result of
interventricular haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)
due to premature birth in 1987.
Ali experienced severe spasticity and extreme stiffness
as a result of the CP. |
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OUTCOME AFTER RECEIVING
ITB THERAPY:
Spasticity significantly reduced; increased comfort and
range of motion; ability to sit comfortably; more independent
now; easier for family to care for her; reduced startle
reflex; happier and more confident attitude; improved
social skills; pain caused by the spasticity reduced. |
COMMENT: “For
Ali, ITB Theray was a much better choice than a rhizotomy.
She’s comfortable and relaxed, and she’s
able to do so much more now. We’re definitely glad
she has the pump.”
— Debby, Ali’s mother |
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| Cerebral palsy can be
defined as a “persistent (but not unchanging) disorder
of movement and posture, as the result of one or more non-progressive
abnormalities in the brain, before its growth and development
are complete.
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| Other clinical signs
may be present as well”. (Cerebral Palsy: Problems
and Practice, Griffiths M, Clegg M (eds). Human Horizons
Series). Cerebral palsy affects each child individually
and does not always cause severe disability,though some
children may also be affected by other associated conditions,
such as epilepsy, learning difficulties, hearing, vision,
and speech and swallowing difficulties. The condition commonly
appears in infancy, and children with CP are frequently
slow to reach developmental milestones such as learning
to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk.
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| Several causal pathways
of CP have been identified, such as kidney or urinary tract
infections, metabolic disturbances, toxemia, jaundice,
rhesus incompatibility, rubella (German measles), direct
trauma and hypoxia.
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| Although CP is by definition
a non-progressive condition, some people may experience
developmental effects and some secondary ageing effects.
Physical functioning does not always remain the same throughout
life and CP is an example of a developmental disorder in
which physical functioning can deteriorate with growth
spurts, ageing, and as a result of poor mechanical efficiency. |
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