Activities for Child with Cerebral Palsy

Understanding Cerebral Palsy:
Cerebral Palsy is often described as 'brain paralysis' or 'non-progressive neurological disorder'. In Cerebral Palsy, the brain's motor area is damaged or fails to develop properly. The damage may be due to injury, trauma or some illness, which may occur before a baby is born, during the birth process or after birth. Or the brain developmental failure may have genetic causes. There is no definite consensus on what exactly causes Cerebral Palsy. It is, however, not a hereditary disorder nor is it contagious, and the term 'non-progressive' means that the damage to the brain – while irreversible - does not deteriorate over time; but, the effect on the body brought about by the brain damage can get worse, or, on the other hand, can improve.

Since the type of brain damage varies from person to person, Cerebral Palsy cases also vary very widely. Children with Cerebral Palsy can have the following problems -

• Stiff or slack muscle tone, arising from the lack of control over body movements
• Muscle spasms, seizures and involuntary movement
• Difficulty in walking and running
• Difficulty in holding objects
• Difficulty in writing
• Difficulties with perception and sensation
• Excessive drooling and difficulty with swallowing
• Difficulty in feeding

Usually, while the brain's motor area is damaged, the areas that control thinking and learning abilities may not be affected, and a child with Cerebral Palsy can still be of average or high intelligence.

Early diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy is important, because the sooner you start your child on the appropriate treatment, the better chances he or she will have in leading a reasonably normal and independent life.

Treatments include -

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy

The importance of regular physiotherapy, exercises, games and outdoor activities in the case of children with Cerebral Palsy cannot be stressed enough. Apart from a definite improvement in physical skills, the fun factor can also bring about mental benefits and stress relief. Just make sure you choose activities that your child enjoys.

Activities for a Child with Cerebral Palsy:

• Put your child down on the floor and let him or her explore the surroundings at his or her own pace. If you child tends to lie still in one spot, make sure you help him/her change positions often.
• Take your child out to parks, gardens, zoos, playgrounds, markets and so on to help with sensory system development.
• Play games that encourage crawling. Weight-bearing on one hand or both hands and on legs is beneficial for developing a good muscle tone.
• Place toys at some distance so the child has to reach out to pick them or crawl over to fetch them. Make sure the toys are stimulating in color, shape, texture and smell, as well as easy to play with.
• Encourage your child to put away to toys by himself/herself even if that takes up a lot of time.
• Enroll your child in gym classes or other physical exercise programs that also cater to special needs children.
• Take your child on bicycle rides or help him/her ride on his/her own tricycle.
• Take your child swimming. Swimming is excellent for increasing or reducing muscle tone and also helps improve respiratory abilities.
• Encourage your child to make friends with other children and, if possible, ensure that he/she is included in their play.
• Play games with balls to develop good coordination and motor skills.
• Place a well-anchored, strong plank at a small height from the ground and make a game of walking from one end to the other without falling off. This will help improve balance.
• Encourage your child to draw and paint. This will both instill a feeling of creative achievement and improve the ability to hold objects.
• Give your child clay to roll or mold. This is a good exercise for the hands.
• Give your child pictures to look at and ask him/her to identify the different objects in them.
• Make a game of using signs, picture boards and so on as communication devices, especially if the child has speech problems. This will foster better communication and the ability to clearly indicate their exact likes and dislikes.
• Give your child plenty of opportunities to laugh and feel good about himself/herself.