CHILDREN · Health guide
Cerebral Palsy: Daily Life and Rehabilitation
Movement, posture and daily participation in cerebral palsy: rehabilitation goals tailored to the child, family education and follow-up throughout growth.
Updated: · General information
What is cerebral palsy and what are its clinical types?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder of movement, posture and muscle control resulting from non-progressive damage to the developing infant brain, occurring in the womb, during birth or in the first years of life. The damage does not progress over time, but as the child grows, muscle stiffness (spasticity), joint restrictions and movement patterns can change. The most common form is spastic CP, in which the muscles remain excessively contracted; there are also ataxic (loss of balance) and dyskinetic (involuntary movement) forms.
The importance of early diagnosis and follow-up of at-risk infants
Infants with a history of premature birth, low birth weight, jaundice or oxygen deprivation at birth are regarded as “at-risk infants”. Early signs in infancy include difficulty sucking, excessive floppiness or excessive stiffness, failure to develop head control by 3–4 months, and hands that remain constantly clenched into fists. Early intervention begun in the first months of life makes the fullest use of the brain’s capacity for plasticity — its ability to reorganise itself.
The FizyoCare approach to paediatric and robot-assisted rehabilitation
For children with cerebral palsy, our centre applies the principles of Bobath therapy (neurodevelopmental treatment, NDT), sensory integration, balance and gait training, paediatric robot-assisted gait devices, upper-limb training systems and aquatic therapy in the treatment pool as an integrated whole. For the control of spasticity, botulinum toxin injections planned by our specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation, together with orthoses and family-centred home programmes, aim to help the child reach the greatest possible independence in daily life.
Development and daily participation are assessed together
The effect of cerebral palsy on movement differs from child to child. Needs relating to sitting, hand use, communication and feeding are addressed together. Although the early brain injury is not progressive, muscle and joint needs can change with growth; follow-up therefore does not belong only to the period of initial diagnosis.
Goals that fit play and family routines
Meaningful goals are chosen, such as reaching for a toy, sitting with support, taking part in dressing or moving about at school. Orthoses and assistive devices support participation where they are appropriate. The exercises shown to the family are adapted to daily life; pushing the child into pain and excessive fatigue is not the aim.
Your questions
Patient information
Is walking an appropriate goal for every child?
Goals are set according to the child’s capacity and needs. Communication, comfortable sitting and other routes to independent mobility are also important achievements.
Does rehabilitation come to an end as the child grows?
Needs can change with age. Reassessing the goals at the transitions to school, adolescence and adulthood can be valuable.
