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Cerebral Palsy in Children

The term Cerebral Palsy broadly refers to a group of chronic disorders which impair a child's control of movement and in some cases his cognitive development. These disorders are caused by damage or the faulty development of different areas in the brain. When this occurs, it is much more difficult for a child to control his movement and posture. A child’s speech and communication can also be affected.

Symptoms of the condition can include stiffness (hyper tone), difficulty keeping balance, involuntary movements, clenched fists, rolling to only one side, and using one side of the body more than the other. Infants with the condition often take longer to reach developmental milestones such as learning to roll over, crawl, sit or walk.

The early signs of Cerebral Palsy usually become apparent before a child reaches three years of age. When this occurs, it is best to have your child begin therapy as soon as possible.

Treatment for Cerebral Palsy

Our team of extensively trained therapists specialize in treating children with CP. The sooner treatment begins, the better the prognosis. The earlier a child with CP is brought for treatment, the better. In some cases, a child who is treated properly from the early stages of his life can become completely independent, and will not need any assistive devices.

At Health in Motion, we are proud to have helped several children gain their independence in every aspect of their lives. Depending on your child's condition, we may use a variety of different therapies as a part of his treatment program. These could include:

• Physiotherapy - This treatment teaches the child functions such as crawling, sitting, standing and walking. In order to accomplish this, physiotherapists use specific remedial exercise regimes (based on the Bobath/NDT approach) which aim to decrease muscle spasms and improve the overall function of the patient.

• Massage therapy - The massage therapists at Health in Motion specialize in the treatment of children and infants with different disorders. We do recommend massage therapy for children and infants with CP, as it releases tension from the nervous system and improves blood and lymphatic flow throughout the body. These actions lead to a reduction in spasms and involuntary movements, which can improve your child’s overall function.

• Functional education - Through this treatment, our therapists work to develop and enhance a child’s daily functional activity.

• Neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) - This treatment may also be helpful in treating Cerebral Palsy.

• Group therapy - We use group therapy to teach a child social skills and communication as well as improve his daily function and ability to interact.

• Speech language and communication therapy - We use this therapy to improve a child’s speech and communication skills.

LIFE Concept and Program

The LIFE Program was specifically developed for children with Cerebral palsy. Depending on your child’s condition, age and stage of development, the program is tailored to his specific needs, and covers all aspects of his life. This includes his cognitive, motor and social development.

To learn more, please click here. >>

How Our Treatment Changes Lives

To Learn More

If you would like to find out how our LIFE Program can help your child, call us at (416) 250-1904, or send an email to info@healthinmotionrehab.com. We look forward to hearing from you!