Neurological damage in children
Cerebral palsy describes a broad group of neurological disorders that often have their origin in the fetal distress of the child during birth. The most common cause is lack of oxygen leading to what is called anoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.
The clinical picture includes motor disorders, alterations in the sensory sphere, hearing, vision and thought. Some patients simultaneously present symptoms of epilepsy, have learning difficulties and behavioral problems.
We see therefore that the picture can be very diverse depending on the severity of the damage to the central nervous system. Usually symptoms appear before the child reaches 3 years of age, most commonly between 12 and 18 months, when parents observe that his basic motor functions are not developed, those that allow him to sit, maintain the sitting position, crawl or kneel, later to stand and walk.
Cerebral palsy causes different types of mental disability. The movement disorder limits the child to actively exploring the world and getting to know it; the lack of independence creates social consequences of this disease.
Advantages of hyperbaric chamber treatment for neurological damage in children
There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but the goal of treatment is to improve functional skills that facilitate independence and improve quality of life. One of the very important purposes is to reduce muscle stiffness or spasticity, as this can be very painful and is one of the most common symptoms.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also used in the treatment of cerebral palsy. What is the basis of this therapeutic option?
The damaged areas of the brain are in a state of metabolic penumbra, i.e. a state in which the neurons have a reduced blood supply that prevents these cells from transmitting electrical signals, i.e. they are alive but do not exercise their function normally. The neurons in these areas are lazy, but by stimulating them they can become functional cells. These neurons need oxygen Under conditions of hyperbaric oxygenation they become metabolically active and can function again.
HMCE is a clinic of hyperbaric medicine that, very aware of these patients and their family environment, has been developing specific protocols in their treatment. Many children have been and are being treated at the HMCE, which is now a European reference clinic for HBO treatment of neurological damage in children.
For more information, you can make an appointment with our doctor, specialist in hyperbaric medicine and oxygen therapy, to analyze your case in depth without obligation. The first doctor’s appointment is free.