Celebrating Abilities: National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month

Author:  Mahera Kantawalla | March 25th, 2022

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affects a person’s ability to move and keep balance and posture. Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles. Common early signs of cerebral palsy include delays in reaching milestones, abnormal stiffness or floppiness, and differences in posture when compared with other small children. According to current statistics 1 in 323 children, are identified with Cerebral Palsy.

Physical therapy is often the first step in treating cerebral palsy. At Sethu Centre, Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) is used to help improve motor skills to make everyday movements easier for children with cerebral palsy and prevent movement problems from getting worse.

In addition, Occupational Therapy is beneficial for children with cerebral palsy in many ways. By optimising upper body function and improving the coordination of small muscles, it can help children with cerebral palsy master the basic activities of daily living. Some of these tasks include eating, brushing teeth and bathing. This therapy can also help address difficulties with processing sensory information.

While the therapies and some of the new treatments aim to relax muscles that tend to spasm and calm the tremors experienced in cerebral palsy making life for people with cerebral palsy easier to interact with their world, we yet need to spread awareness to create a safe and friendly culture for those living with the condition so that we can help them strive for excellence in spite of the extreme challenges they face.

Our education systems and schools need to be transformed and develop an inclusive culture by having modified spaces, assistive devices and advanced teaching and learning systems to ensure that cerebral palsied children can reach their full potential.

To conclude, children and adults living with Cerebral Palsy have the same rights to life and dignity as anyone else. Our attitudes need to change, and this will only come with greater understanding.

Concerned about Cerebral Palsy? Contact Sethu!