by The first Wednesday of October is World Cerebral Palsy Day. Check what you know about this condition. -105e5ff.png” alt=”9 misconceptions about cerebral palsy that it's time to part with” />
Asya Zalogina
Asya Zalogina President of the Naked Heart Foundation.
1. Cerebral palsy – always with the prefix “childish”
Cerebral Palsy is called What is Cerebral Palsy? /U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a whole group of conditions in which it is difficult for a person to control their movements and maintain a posture. These conditions develop in the fetus in the womb or very early childhood, and are the most common Cerebral Palsy — an overview/ScienceDirect physical disorder in children worldwide. In Russia, the diagnosis of cerebral palsy, according to the Statistical Compilation 2018/Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation of the Ministry of Health, was established in 2.8 out of 1,000 children from 0 to 17 years old.
Therefore, in Russian practice, the term “cerebral palsy” is used “- cerebral palsy. But in this state a person remains for life, and in modern international practice it is customary to say “cerebral palsy/MyChild™” about Cerebral Palsy, omitting the additional definition of “childhood”.
2. Cerebral palsy is a progressive condition
The most common form of cerebral palsy is characterized by Spastic Cerebral Palsy/Cerebral Palsy Alliance increased muscle tone, but it can also be reduced. Sometimes the condition is accompanied by impaired coordination, and in some forms of Types of Cerebral Palsy/Cerebral Palsy Alliance, involuntary, uncontrolled movements occur.
Such conditions do not progress, but do not go away.
3. Cerebral palsy is the result of a medical error
It leads to Causes and Risk Factors of Cerebral Palsy/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention damage to the central nervous system at the earliest stages of its formation: during fetal development or in the first weeks and months of life. This happens under the influence of various factors. These include genetics, traumatic brain injury in infants, metabolic disorders (eg, severe neonatal jaundice), infections in the expectant mother or child (eg, encephalitis or meningitis in the early neonatal period).
Birth Injury/LegalFinders Birth Injuries Cause Cerebral Palsy Comparatively D. R. Patel, M. Neelakantan, et al. Cerebral palsy in children: A clinical overview/Translational Pediatrics rare. And the most common factor M. Rana, J. Upadhyay, et al. A systematic review on etiology, epidemiology, and treatment of cerebral palsy/The International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Risk Diseases – prematurity. The earlier the baby was born and the lower its weight, the higher the Premature Birth and Cerebral Palsy/Cerebral Palsy Guidance risk. This is especially true for children born before the 28th week or weighing less than 1.5 kg.
To prevent the development of cerebral palsy, it is important not to transport a premature baby from the hospital to the intensive care unit, it must be in the same building. This task is solved. The survival rate of premature babies in Russia is 98%, said the Ministry of Health/RIA Novosti perinatal centers. In Russia, there are more and more of them, they are better equipped, the level of knowledge and qualifications of doctors is increasing. As a result, premature births are less likely to result in cerebral palsy.
Evidence-proven methods used in intensive care for preterm infants can achieve significant success. For example, in Australia, the incidence of cerebral palsy has fallen to 1.5 cases per 1,000 and continues to decline, becoming Cerebral Palsy in Children: A Systematic Review of Intervention Programs/Naked Heart Foundation is becoming less severe forms associated with other disorders.
4. A person with cerebral palsy cannot communicate
Some people with this diagnosis have a really hard time speaking, their words may be incomprehensible to others. However, speech is far from the only form of communication. People with cerebral palsy can use communication boards, special programs on a tablet or computer.
An example of such an application is LINKa, the LINKa project. A person types text in it in a convenient way: typing on a regular keyboard, selecting pictures on the tablet screen or pressing only one button – and this signal is converted into a voice message.
5. A person with cerebral palsy cannot become a productive member of society
The accessible environment, modern technology and the use of special equipment give people with cerebral palsy the opportunity to move around, communicate, study, work and make friends.
Famous people with this diagnosis include actor RJ Mitte, starring RJ Mitte/IMDb in Breaking Bad, writer and artist Christy Brown, author of the novel My Left Foot, the film adaptation of which won two Oscars.
In Russia, one of the most famous people with cerebral palsy is Ivan Bakaidov, programmer, developer of the LINKa program, nominee for the rating of the most promising Russians under 30. 100 nominees/Forbes in the ranking of the 30 most promising Russians under 30 according to Forbes in 2020 in the Social Practices category.
Most of the barriers to living a normal life and being a productive member of society are related to not with the person himself, but with the environment. Due to the lack of ramps, elevators, specially equipped toilets, means of transportation, people with cerebral palsy cannot participate in society: study, go to the office, visit museums and concert halls, or, for example, practice in the pool.
< h2>6. All people with cerebral palsy have intellectual disabilities
This is not true. More than half of S. M. Reid, E. M. Meehan, et al. Intellectual disability in cerebral palsy: A population-based retrospective study/Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology People with Cerebral Palsy do not have intellectual disabilities. Sometimes it is difficult to assess the intelligence of a child who does not move independently and does not use speech – he simply cannot answer in the way that typically developing children do.
Affordable assistance and education programs, special equipment that allows you to maintain a stable, symmetrical posture in a lying, sitting or standing position, and the use of alternative communicationAlternative and Complementary Communication/Naked Heart Foundation – all this allows children to develop and realize their abilities.
7. Cerebral palsy is curable
Alas, modern medicine cannot completely cure cerebral palsy, but there are many rehabilitation methods that make life easier for a person and provide him with maximum independence.
Hundreds of new assistance programs appear every year. Not all of them are proven effective. Special systematic reviews compiled by international research groups help to understand which assistance programs should be used and which methods should be avoided. The latest full review of Cerebral Palsy in Children: A Systematic Review of Interventions/Naked Heart Foundation in Russian is published on the Naked Heart Online platform.
8. All people with cerebral palsy do not walk or it is very difficult for them to walk
Indeed, many people with this diagnosis have difficulty developing gross and fine motor skills. But many walk on their own or use various devices for this.
Thanks to walkers, orthoses, mechanical and electric chairs and other special technical devices, more and more people with cerebral palsy move around without assistance.
This becomes possible, among other things, thanks to modern rehabilitation programs. A variety of professionals are engaged in the development of movements and the selection of special technical equipment: doctors and instructors of physiotherapy exercises, rehabilitation therapists, special teachers, orthopedists. In recent years, two new helping areas have appeared in Russia: physical therapy and ergotherapyAbout ergotherapy/Russian Professional Association of Occupational Therapists.
9. With cerebral palsy, a person cannot have healthy children
Compared to the rest, people with this diagnosis do not have a Having Children When You Have Cerebral Palsy/Cerebral Palsy Guidance increased risk of miscarriage or the birth of a premature baby. Neither women nor men can pass on their physical condition by inheritance. Around the world, many people with cerebral palsy have successfully given birth and continue to give birth to healthy children.
Cover: Anika Turchan/Lifehacker Text was edited by: Asya Zalogina
