Our clinic has a professional specialized in the treatment of infant cerebral palsy thanks to hyperbaric medicine. Because of this, today we wanted to talk a little more in depth about the symptoms, causes and treatments indicated in children who suffer from this pathology.
Definition of Infant Cerebral Palsy
Pediatrician José Galbe Sánchez-Ventura, in his article for the Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics, defines this disease as
Infant cerebral palsy (ICP) is a disorder of muscle tone of posture or movement that occurs in a developing brain and from a cause that is not permanent or progressive . That is, it is a group of disorders or alterations that can be due to many causes.
Causes of cerebral palsy in children
This syndrome usually occurs before birth, that is, prenatally, although in many cases it is not known exactly why it occurs.
The most common causes of cerebral palsy in children are due to :
- Lack of oxygento the brain at birth.
- Neonatal infections, which cause inflammation of the brain.
- Traumatismo encéfalo craneano en el bebe
- Maternal infections
- Genetic mutations
Symptoms of Infant Cerebral Palsy
In addition to the movement and coordination problems related to this pathology, there are a number of other signs that may indicate that the child is suffering from cerebral palsy. It is very important to consider the age of the child as well, as symptoms can vary.
Babies under 6 months old
- Your body is usually rigid or, on the contrary, very flabby.
- When they are lifted, their heads hang back. Also, their legs get crossed and they get stiff-
- By holding the baby in their arms, they try to stretch their back and neck too much, as if they were constantly trying to get away.
Babies between 6 and 10 months
- If they’re left on a surface, they don’t roll.
- They have difficulty putting their hands together or putting them in their mouths.
- They reach out with one hand to grab things and hold the other hand.
Babies over 10 months old
- When crawling, they do so with only one leg and one arm, dragging the opposite limbs.
- They tend to jump around, as they are not able to crawl.
- They find it hard to stand up straight.
Treatment for Infantile Cerebral Palsy
As we advanced at the beginning of this article, our center is specialized in the treatment of children who suffer from this pathology being an international reference in Child Neurological Damage.
Benefits such as hyperbaric medicine (HBO) are now proven:
HBO has been used in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. Its rationale is that the administration of small amounts of oxygen could help in waking
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Pediatrics. J.M. García-Cubillana de la Cruz, A. Martínez Izquierdo, F. Samalea Pérez, E. Salas Pardo, J. Martínez Infante. Pediatrics Service; Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine Service.
of nervous system cells that produce myelin and protect the nerve fibers. It is believed that if these brain areas receive large amounts of oxygen, they may become functional, which would improve spasticity and other symptoms related to cerebral palsy.
San Carlos Defense General Hospital. San Fernando (Cádiz)
We remind you that the first medical consultation is free, where our doctor will evaluate the child’s case and determine what and how hyperbaric medicine can help.
