Mild Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time for the better with therapy. One thing cerebral palsy doesn’t do is get worse. The brain damage which occurred and caused cerebral palsy produced the resulting symptoms for life. Severe cases of cerebral palsy may leave a person almost totally incapacitated while people with a mild case may need little specialized care.
Symptoms of mild cerebral palsy are easier to manage because the brain damage causing them isn’t severe. Many children with mild cerebral palsy are diagnosed with the disorder late because the symptoms are less apparent. While the symptoms of mild cerebral palsy are the same as more severe cases, they are often dismissed as problems people think a child will outgrow. However, if there is any question your child is showing signs of a developmental delay you should contact a doctor for further testing. Especially for mild cerebral palsy children, early intervention can make a huge difference in later life.
Symptoms of Mild Cerebral Palsy
Children with mild cerebral palsy may have symptoms noticeable to parents, but misinterpreted. For example, a child with mild cerebral palsy may have a delay in talking. A parent may think the delay is due to a speech or hearing impediment while it is actually due to cerebral palsy. Many mild cerebral palsy children are taken to health professionals by their parents for evaluation and are then referred to a doctor specializing in cerebral palsy. Symptoms to watch for which might indicate mild cerebral palsy include:
- Walking on tip toes (toe walking)
- Keeping arms raised or suspended in air in a pose that looks like a teddy bear
- Bending arms or clenching fists unknowingly
- Generally lacks coordination or is considered excessively clumsy
- Cautious about many participating in activities requiring lots of movement
- Complains about leg pain after a normal amount of activity for other children
- Legs are very tight or seem to be constantly flexed
- Excessive effort required to walk or stand on the flat of the foot when reminded
- Treatment for Mild Cerebral Palsy
Exercises are very helpful in the treatment of mild cerebral palsy. Once diagnosed, occupational therapy and physical therapy can help children gain more functionality in movement. For toe walkers, high top shoes help force the foot flat and offer extra support to the ankle joint. If the muscle contraction caused by cerebral palsy is noticeable, but light, several oral medications like baclofen or valium can be used to help with muscle release. Botox injections into specific muscles can help temporarily weaken them for 3 to 4 months at a time. Both treatments offer only temporary results.
Abilities of People with Mild Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy affects each person differently so it is hard to determine what any one person might, or might not, be able to do. Many people with mild cerebral palsy will be able to participate in almost any activity their peers do. Mile cerebral palsy sufferers will have more success in some kinds of activities more than others. For example, mild cerebral palsy children are better steered toward participating in sports like martial arts or swimming. Sports like football, baseball or basketball require a large amount of running, which can be difficult for people with mild cerebral palsy. Just as non-disabled people have different talents and difficulties, so do those with mild cerebral palsy. Take the time to ask questions and get to know people affected with mild cerebral palsy. They are people who have faced great challenges and survived.