“Look for developmental milestones in an infant”

Normally, a child cries immediately after birth. It is in fact supposed to cry which both doctors and parents expect. After a few days, the child would start looking around and give a smile, say, by looking at the mother.These are all certain developmental milestones normal of a baby which the parents come to know in the first one year. If these normal symptoms are not there as a baby grows, doctors say that something could be wrong and better for the parents to check out with their paediatrician.

Cerebral palsy (CP) can be the reason for a child failing to reach the expected developmental milestones of a baby. It is a group of disorders affecting the body movement causing varying degrees of disability. 

Infants with CP will have abnormal development of brain which can be due to injury to the brain before, during, or after birth. Hence, the CP babies are slow in reaching developmental milestones in rolling over, sitting, crawling, and subsequently walking. 

Preethi Hospital in Madurai along with Blossom Global Trust here has conducted a surgery camp for such children on May 3 and 4 during which 18 children underwent surgery.R. Sivakumar, Orthopaedic and Spine Surgeon, who led the surgery team, says that it is better if parents who suspect something wrong in a child go for early diagnosis and intervention. 

“Cerebral Palsy is a locomotor disability. The coordination between brain and body will be poor and day-to-day life gets tougher for the affected children if treatment is not given. There will be a malfunctioning of nervous system, muscle spasms and body stiffness. A CP child will not be able to walk due to tight muscles,” he explains.

The surgery details of the ‘Spastic Cerebral Palsy Corrective Surgery Camp' were given during a press conference held on May 4.

According to Dr. Sivakumar, the surgery/treatment for CP children was done through a multidisciplinary approach involving a team of paediatrician, neurologist, orthopaedic surgeon, speech therapist, and others. 

“CP is highly common in premature babies. It can happen during pregnancy also. Parents' dedication is utmost important to treat them. Remember that a child affected by CP can be very intelligent too since it is not associated with mental growth. It is all about only physical movements with muscular weakness,” explains Hema Sivakumar, Founder Trustee, Blossom Global Trust.

The surgeries were performed by the Preethi Hospital team in association with Taral Nagda, a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Mumbai. The Trust has supported the cost of surgeries.Uma Shah, neurodevelopment therapist, says that the treatment depends on the severity of the problem. “It can be mild, moderate, and severe. If diagnosed early, a CP-affected child can be brought to near normal stage,” she says.Those who want to know about treatment for cerebral palsy can contact Dr. Sivakumar at 0452-4219995.

Courtesy : The Hindu