Spastic Cerebral Palsy: What It Looks Like

Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common type of Cerebral Palsy. It occurs due to brain damage caused during pregnancy, at the time of birth, or in the first few years of life. Jerky movements and stiffness in the muscles and joints are the main symptoms. While some children may only have mild symptoms while others may experience severe ones. As a result of Spastic Cerebral Palsy, children may develop co-occurring medical conditions like epilepsy or ADHD. Here’s a quick guide to what the condition looks like and how children can be treated for it.

Understanding Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy refers to a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, coordination, and motor skills, caused by damage or abnormalities in the developing brain. About 70-80% of all Cerebral Palsy cases are Spastic Cerebral Palsy. The brain damage caused as a result of the disease affects motor abilities and muscle coordination. While children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy may not necessarily have limb deformities early on, these could develop over time — owing to consistent muscle stiffness and limitations in stretching.

Types of spastic Cerebral Palsy

Doctors will typically break down a diagnosis of Spastic Cerebral Palsy even further to accurately describe the symptoms. Based on where the muscle stiffness is, there are four types of spastic Cerebral Palsy.

• Spastic Diplegia: In this variant, stiffness is confined to the legs, with some mild symptoms in the arms.

• Spastic Hemiplegia: One entire side of the patient’s body is affected in this variant, with the arm usually stiffer than the leg.

• Spastic Quadriplegia: This variant affects the torso, the face, and all four limbs. It also increases the risk for co-occurring illnesses like epilepsy.

Symptoms of spastic Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy tends to manifest differently in each child. Moreover, the symptoms do not usually manifest in the initial years. A child may reach toddlerhood before the first jerky reflexes are observed, and may reach up to five years of age before a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. Some of the commonly observed symptoms include:

• Abnormal gait and reflexes

• Exaggerated body movements

• Stiff and tight muscles (hypertonia) on at least one side of the body

• Reduced mobility

• Flexion at the wrists, elbows, and fingers

• Inability to fully extend joints

• Continuous muscle spasms

• Related problems such as drooling, speech problems, vision problems, incontinence, or spinal/joint deformities

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Treatment for Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Your child’s doctor will help design a tailored treatment plan for your child based on how severe their symptoms are. Apart from medication and surgery as needed, the best Cerebral Palsy treatment typically includes the following.

• Stem Cell Therapy: With Stem Cell Therapy, patients suffering from Spastic Cerebral Palsy can find a new ray of hope. It includes the administration of autologous mesenchymal stem cells, which are extracted from the patient’s blood, bone marrow, or fat. 

• Physical Therapy: This focuses on stretching and flexibility exercises and is designed to give the child as much mobility as possible. Different types of stretches and daily range-of-motion (ROM) exercises can ease stiffness in the joints and enhance overall motor function. To help the child respond better to therapy, the therapist may also use appropriate toys.

• Occupational Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on helping the child perform daily activities like eating, studying, playing, and holding things. The exercises are designed to improve bilateral coordination by focusing on muscles in the wrist, arm, forearm, and upper body. The occupational therapist may also recommend the use of appropriate tools, like adaptive scissors or writing instruments, to help the child perform the task safely.

• Speech Therapy: This focuses on strengthening the child’s speech muscles, which helps with verbal articulation and also makes chewing and swallowing much easier. The therapist may recommend the use of assistive communication devices to improve cognitive and motor abilities and also to boost the child’s confidence.

While Spastic Cerebral Palsy is a lifelong condition, there are several ways to make living with it easier for your child. Through a combination of therapy, assistive devices, and the best Cerebral Palsy treatment, your child can participate in day-to-day activities and live a healthy social life. 

Above all, don’t forget to take care of yourself as a parent and to accept help from your support network as and when you need it. This will help you support your child better and be there for them when they need you.