Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Families that have children with cerebral palsy know that there is no cure for it.  The only thing that families can do is get the best treatment for their child.  What type of treatments considered for a child depends on what type of cerebral palsy they have.  The medical staff will determine what type they have by the characteristics the patient has.Determining which type of treatments is given to a patient is done through observing the patient and giving them some tests.  In this process a team of professionals such as therapists, psychologists and pediatricians will determine, based on the results of the patient, which treatments suit them. 

Types of treatments:

Physical therapy - This method of therapy helps stretch the muscles of a patient with cerebral palsy.  This can include exercising the muscles, massaging the muscles and possibly using heat.  The purpose of this is to help with motor control. 

Speech therapy - It is sometimes difficult for patients with cerebral palsy to communicate.  With speech therapy, the treatments allow them to communicate with other means. 

Occupational therapy - This treatment is to assist patients with this in their everyday living.  This includes household duties and work duties. 

Medication - There are medications for cerebral palsy patients that will help relax their muscles.  Patients deal with muscle spasms and medications such as Botox will help those problems.

Surgery - There are times when therapies just don't help.  In these situations surgery may be an option for the patient.  Surgeries can help decrease spasticity and improve muscle tone. 

Hearing aids, eyeglasses - It is common of cerebral palsy patients to have hearing or vision problems.  These treatments will help improve the impairments of the child.

Assistive technologies - Cerebral palsy patients usually will require some type of assistive technologies such as wheelchairs to help them with everyday jobs that they may not otherwise be able to do so.

Other Cerebral Palsy treatments - Sometimes the common treatments are just not enough for a patient with it.  If this is the case, other treatments may be applied such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

Clinical trials - The purpose of these trials are to try to develop new treatments for cerebral palsy patients. 

The Cost of Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Cerebral palsy affects many children and there is no cure for it, there are only treatments to help a patient cope with their disability.  Children go through different therapies that suit their needs but the financial costs are overwhelming usually exceeding $500,000.  Insurance doesn't always cover all of the costs, and the families can get stressed with all the costs.  Even those who do not have insurance, the financial load are overwhelming.

There are cases where medical malpractice may have contributed to a child's condition.  Families in this situation often can receive compensation to help cover treatment costs and other expenses. If your child's cerebral palsy could have been prevented be sure to contact a cerebral palsy lawyer to discuss your options.

David Austin is an Attorney focused on complex injury cases. You can learn more about Cerebral Palsy Treatment at his website, Burke-Eisner.com