Athetoid
cerebral palsy is a type of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a brain
disorder which affects body movements and coordination of muscles.
A child gets affected by this disease mostly during mother's pregnancy
period, delivery, or suddenly after delivery.
Athetoid cerebral palsy is also known as dyskinetic cerebral palsy.
Athetoid cerebral palsy occurs as a muscle tone mixture, either too
loose or too tight. The patients who are affected by this disease
suffer from a serious problem of holding position difficulty in upright
and they show involuntary motions. They face trouble to be in steady
positions of sitting and walking.
A
lot of difficulties are aroused due to athetoid cerebral palsy. It
is characterized by slow and involuntary muscle movement, unwanted
movements such as random, jerky movements. The patient will have more
difficulty in holding objects like pen or eating foods, due to the
mixed tone caused in muscles. They find it very difficult to do usual
things such as scratching the nose and it may occur to the entire
body parts. The patient also appears to be restless even after long
relaxation or sleep. They will not be able to maintain posture and
cannot sit or walk in a proper way.
The involuntary movements caused often in the face, trunk and arms
also extend with problems in speaking, grasping, feeding and other
movements. Athetoid cerebral palsy that affects speech is known as
dysarthria. Athetoid cerebral palsy occurs in about 25% of the cerebral
palsy patients.
Athetoid
Cerebral Palsy Symptoms
-> Increased or decreased muscle tone.
-> Damage in the basal ganglia of the brain.
-> Holding posture inability.
-> Mental retardation, learning disabilities, sensory impairments.
-> Pain and sleep disorders.
Causes
for Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
-> Problems in development of intrauterine because of infection
/ radiation exposure.
-> Asphyxia happening before birth, brain hypoxia.
-> Birth trauma caused during delivery, perinatal period complications.
-> Early pregnancy death in identical twins.
-> Premature infants are highly vulnerable to this disease.
-> Other common causes such as severe jaundice, physical brain
injury, lead poisoning, meningitis, may also lead to this disease.
Treatments
given for Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
According to the type of symptoms detected, the treatments given to
athetoid cerebral palsy will vary. As soon as it is detected, Physical
exercises such as daily muscle exercises is given. Also "range
of motion" exercises are given to prevent muscles from being
weak or rigid. The other common treatments include speech therapy,
yoga, martial arts, interpersonal therapy, occupational therapy, conductive
education, medication, medical surgery, and many more.
