What is Cerebral Palsy?

Chiropractic care can greatly improve the life of a child with cerebral palsy

According to the Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta, cerebral palsy (CP) is “a term used to describe a group of conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is not a disease.”

Medical dictionaries define CP as a “bilateral, symmetrical, non-progressive paralysis resulting from developmental defects in the brain or from trauma at birth”.

CP can be as mild as just a little weakness of a hand, or as severe as an almost complete lack of movement. Sometimes the movements of people can be unpredictable, muscles can be stiff or tight, and in some cases people may have jerky movements or tremors.

Maximizing Your Function

Our comprehensive neurologic examination for individuals with cerebral palsy focuses on finding which areas of the brain have been damaged and which areas are still viable and, therefore, may be improved using neuroplasticity principles.

We then devise specific rehabilitation strategies to target those areas for maximum functional improvement.

Finding Natural Solutions for Cerebral Palsy

Any damage to the developing brain, whether caused by genetic or developmental disorders, injury or disease, can result in cerebral palsy. The damage to the brain is in the region that controls and coordinates muscular action. Most often it occurs during pregnancy, labour or shortly after birth. Most cases of CP are called Congenital Cerebral Palsy because they are related to the development and childbearing processes. The condition is not inherited.

Chiropractic care is one of the most commonly used complementary health services used by families with children who have cerebral palsy. The goal of such care is not to cure the disorder, but rather to provide an improved quality of life for both patients and caregivers. Some of the treatment goals that can be explored are