Cerebal Palsey Guide

When someone is diagnosed with cerebral palsey, the doctor draws out the expected course of treatment and gives the patient and family a briefing of what to expect in the future. Such a “briefing” of the approach to be taken or expected outcome is called the cerebral palsy prognosis. Below are some great information on common prognoses for cerebral palsey.

What is the cerebral palsy life expectancy? How long will a cerebral palsey sufferer live?

Sufferers of cerebral palsey on average live up to similar lifespans as non-sufferers do. In severe cases of cerebral palsey, the lifespan of sufferers is significantly reduced.

What will happen over time to a patient will cerebral palsey?

As the patient ages, the frequency and duration of symptoms and signs related to cerebral palsey increases. Patients may experience more frequent spasms, contractions (shortening of muscles), joint problems (pain and loss of flexibility), back pain, the emergence or increase in incontinence and decrease in energy levels.

Among the reasons for the chronic physical impairments above are the patient’s poor posture while seated in a wheelchair, deformed spine, weight gain, and the patient’s inability to learn (learning disability) corrective action. The patient could have discontinued physical therapy as exercises such as walking increases in difficulty. The patient could have also undergone inappropriate orthopaedic surgery.

Apart from what was mentioned earlier, physical exhaustion (due to inadequate rest, recovery from illness or injury) can also cause overall decline in physical and mental function. To maintain physical function, the patient should adopt appropriate wheelchair seating and posture, assume various positions out of the wheelchair, use a wheelchair when tired and when walking is difficult, have regular and appropriate exercise (including stretching and exercises to maintain flexibility of joints), maintain ideal weight, have regular medical check-ups, avoid sustained mental stress, carefully consider proposed surgery and plan for appropriate rehabilitation after surgery.

You may also be interested in:

• How Do You Prevent Cerebral Palsy?
• Cerebral Palsy Surgery
• Medication for Cerebral Palsey
• Cerebral Palsey Treatment
• Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
• Complications of Cerebral Palsey
• Cerebral Palsy Symptoms And Signs
• Risk Factors For Cerebral Palsey
• Cerebral Palsey Overview

Tags: cerebral palsey | Cerebral Palsy Life Expectancy | Cerebral Palsy Prognosis | life expectancy

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