Cerebral palsy: the whys and hows

Charlie Fairhurst*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    31 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The descriptive term of cerebral palsy encompasses the largest group of childhood movement disorders. Severity and pattern of clinical involvement varies widely dependent on the area of the central nervous system compromised. A multidisciplinary team approach is vital for all the aspects of management to improve function and minimise disability. From a medical viewpoint, there are two pronged approaches. First a focus on developmental and clinical comorbidities such as communication, behaviour, epilepsy, feeding problems, gastro-oesophageal reflux and infections; and second on specifics of muscle tone, motor control and posture. With regards to the latter, there is an increasing number of available treatments including oral antispasticity and antidystonic medications, injectable botulinum toxin, multilevel orthopaedic and neurosurgical options and a variety of complementary and alternative therapies.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)122-131
    Number of pages10
    JournalArchives Of Disease In Childhood-Education And Practice Edition
    Volume97
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Aug 2012

    Keywords

    • SELECTIVE DORSAL RHIZOTOMY
    • AMERICAN-ACADEMY
    • BOTULINUM TOXIN
    • CHILDREN
    • SPASTICITY
    • CLASSIFICATION
    • INTERVENTIONS
    • SUBCOMMITTEE
    • RELIABILITY
    • PLASTICITY

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