Patient's question:
I recently heard that the child from my aunt's family has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, but I'm not very familiar with this disease. I would like to consult a doctor about what are the symptoms of pediatric cerebral palsy?Doctor's answer:
The main symptoms of cerebral palsy are increased muscle tone, difficulty with abduction, and in severe cases, muscle rigidity, contractures, and joint flexion. It is often accompanied by sensory, cognitive, communication, and behavioral impairments, as well as secondary skeletal and muscular abnormalities. Seizures may also occur.Recommendations:
1. First step: Confirm the diagnosis and assessment to develop an individualized treatment plan.
2. Second step: Functional training to teach patients proper muscle usage and walking posture.
3. Third step: Consider surgery at an appropriate age to address spasticity, dyskinesia, and other issues. For patients with deformities, corrective surgery should be performed to adjust leg and foot deformities caused by prolonged poor posture.
4. Fourth step: Post-surgical rehabilitation training, first restoring muscle strength, then functional reconstruction.