Asthma, allergies, and ear infections are the most prevalent medical disorders in children. Despite our attempts to create a world for children to be self-sufficient, many continue to struggle with mobility and independence. This is especially true for kids with cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects muscle coordination and movement. It is either caused by a single condition or a collection of many conditions.

It comes in various varieties, each with its own set of challenges like Dyskinetic cerebral palsy, ataxic cerebral palsy, and a combination of other cerebral palsy disorders. 

Deprivation of oxygen during birth is a common cause of cerebral palsy in infants. It causes problems like walking, hearing, and difficulty controlling muscles. You’ll observe floppy muscles or an overly rigid structure in the child.

Cerebral palsy can either occur in the womb or after birth. It requires a lifetime of care along with many challenges.

While there is no cure for cerebral palsy, there are therapy and fitness programs available to help children learn how to live their best life.

Importance Of Exercise Programs

Individual child needs and abilities play an important role in determining the type of exercise for children with cerebral palsy. It can help in 4 ways-

1. Physical workouts can help a child with balance and coordination, flexibility, and decreased pain.

2. Cognitive enhancements with better attention span and memory.

3. Emotional benefits with greater self-esteem and socializing.

4. Improved communication

Therapies For Children With Cerebral Palsy

Robot-assisted exercise

In robot-assisted workouts, a robot is attached to the patient through a harness to maintain balance and safety. It helps to perform specialized therapeutic activities. At the same time, the robot sends data about the patient's stride and posture to a tablet through Bluetooth. Doctors and therapists can change treatment regimens based on the child's condition, thanks to real-time visual input and remote monitoring.

Occupational Therapy

The goal of occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy is to help them be as self-sufficient as possible. Occupational therapists employ a wide range of exercises to assist children in developing skills and improving their daily living abilities. These could include:

1. Sensory Integration - To improve tactile feeling, visual awareness, and body movement, your child could, for example, play with a ball.

2. Feeding and Dressing - Wearing a shirt or shoes allows your child to try eating or dressing themself.

3. Delicate Motor Skills - Your child may participate in activities that assist develop small muscles and improving movement control, such as playing with clay, learning to use scissors, or holding toys with their fingers.

4. Gross Motor Skills - Strengthening and balancing activities are used to assist your child to learn to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, and walk.

5. Play Skills - Playtime is used by occupational therapists to assist children to learn social interaction and communication skills.

Adaptive Sports

Adaptive sports are a fun approach for children with cerebral palsy to strengthen their motor abilities. They give a fun, relaxed environment that can help enhance self-esteem and confidence.

Adaptive sports can introduce a child to new activities that they can continue as they grow older. These sports alternatives can be tailored to the child's skills, along with specific equipment or support. Some kids will play in groups, while others may require one-on-one training. These sports include-

1. Archery

2. Basketball

3. Bowling

4. Swimming

5. Tennis

Speech And Language Therapy

Speech and language therapy is the primary treatment for children with cerebral palsy who are having communication difficulties. It can help your child grasp what others are saying, express themselves, use their voice, and eat and drink. Speech and language therapy might also help your kid if they have difficulty speaking.

Vibration Therapy

Vibration therapy is a new exercise method used to treat children with cerebral palsy. The therapy entails standing on a vibrating platform for a set duration of time and frequency. The vibration can be caused by either linear or vertical oscillation. Vibration treatment can help young children develop their strength and tone their muscles, allowing them to accomplish tasks like walking.

It can help in the following-

1. Strengthen bones and muscles

2. Increase balance and coordination

3. Improve blood flow and circulation

4. Improve muscle tone

5. Improve endurance

Assistive Devices For Children With Cerebral Palsy

KeyX Inclusion Device

KeyX is an inclusion device that assists children with cerebral palsy to operate computer devices easily.

An innovative resource with 11 touch-sensitive keys is an assistive device that can allow users to enter characters and computer commands with 9 keys.

The drive is simple, and easy and provides people with disabilities to use computers practically and innovatively.

The device dispenses the need for any specific software. It allows typing and control of the computer, browsing the internet, using social networking, playing games, and learning.

You can rent KeyX from Sehaasouq or buy the product from Sehaaonline. We also provide a free trial to users. You can visit the showroom and give the device a try!

Wheelchairs

Children with cerebral palsy require wheelchairs for movement, seating stability, and placement. Wheelchairs can be used for movement both indoors and outdoors. Using a wheelchair promotes a child's independence and participation. You can use manual wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, and other power-assisted wheelchairs.

Orthotic Boots

Orthotic boots can help improve gait and posture in children with cerebral palsy by providing stability and preventing the foot from injury. They are made of light material and lined with soft foam for comfort. To keep the orthotic boot in place, it is fitted over your child's foot and ankle. The foot and ankle are supported by a flexible plastic outer shell.

Crutches

Children with cerebral palsy may use crutches due to balance and gait issues. Crutches are used to support one's body weight when an injury or condition makes normal walking difficult or impossible. They are available in various sizes since they must be adjusted to your height, arm length, and weight.

Hand Splints

Children with cerebral palsy have constricted and stiff muscles. This makes it difficult for children to grasp and hold objects, write, feed themselves, or even play. Hand splints might be a simple and effective treatment.

Hand splints assist children with cerebral palsy in maintaining a functional grip on their hands. They can prevent a child's hand from curling into a fist, and assist them in correctly positioning their fingers when gripping or writing.

Standing Frames

Standing frames pique the interest of many parents of children with cerebral palsy. They are specially constructed that enable toddlers to stand upright even if they lack muscle tone and control.

They can also help build bone density, and improve blood flow, which promotes better kidney function and bowel regularity. Standers can also improve your child's hip joint mobility and develop flexibility in the legs, hips, and spine.

Bathroom Bench

A bathroom bench is a portable bath seat that fits over the edge of a bathtub. It allows a person to sit while bathing instead of standing or sitting.

Bathing benches are helpful for children who have movement issues and require assistance getting into and out of the tub, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spina bifida. They can also be used by children with sensory impairments who require extra help when bathing.

Final Words

Exercise and assistive devices can assist children with Cerebral Palsy to stay healthy, feel better, and stay active. It is important to select the right therapy along with the equipment to help your child with inclusion.

Personal trainers can assist in developing the right fitness regimen, and doctors can advise on programs intended for people with physical limitations. In any case, there is no better time than now to begin working on your child's growth and development.