Early Childhood Interventions for Children with Cerebral Palsy

The following presents the topic of early childhood interventions for children with cerebral palsy with a description and review of prevalence, contributing factors, complications, and relevance to pediatric nursing. Applications of the topic presented include an integration of information in practice, the important support to offer, future research and nursing implications, and a synthesis of data. This is followed by a conclusion.

Cerebral palsy, or static encephalopathy, is a term that is used to describe a condition in which trauma to the brain trauma affects the motor abilities to varying degrees ranging from slight to extreme. Cerebral palsy includes the following four categories: Spastic, Athetoid (or dyskinetic), Ataxic, and Mixed. Spastic cerebral palsy is found in up to 80% of cerebral palsy patients. Spastic cerebral palsy includes the characteristics of stiff muscles or muscles that are permanently contracted. Athetoid cerebral palsy is found in up to 20% of cerebral palsy patients. Athetoid cerebral palsy includes the characteristics of uncontrolled and slow, writhing movements. Ataxic cerebral palsy is found in up to 10% of cerebral palsy patients. Ataxic cerebral palsy includes the characteristics of poor coordination and problems with moving quickly or precisely due to an inability to sense or perceive depth. Mixed cerebral palsy takes place when a patie

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rtage, head trauma during labor and delivery, stroke, and infant jaundice. Cerebral palsy is also linked to low birth weight (low birth weight babies are 100 times more at risk to develop cerebral palsy). Medical negligence can result in a failure to prevent cerebral palsy (Cerebral Palsy Source, 2005). Nutrition is also factor in the cause and treatment of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is linked to malnutrition during prenatal or neonatal care. Poor nutrition during pregnancy or nursing can result in damage to the fetal brain tissue and cerebral palsy. Once a person has cerebral palsy, he or she may be at risk for poor nutrition due to a lack of ability to use his or her tongue and mouth to chew and swallow. This person may not be able to use eating utensils and they may refuse to eat (Cerebral Palsy Source, 2005). Treatment of Cerebral Palsy There is no actual cure for cerebral palsy but there are treatments used to manage the condition. Treatments and therapies include the use of braces, physical and occupational therapy, medicine, and surgery. The primary goal of treatment is to help the patient become as independent as possible, and the pediatric nurse is an important component of reaching this obj

Category: Medical -