The Nature Of Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Ataxic cerebral palsy is one of the four main types of cerebral palsy. The others being spastic, athetoid and mixed cerebral palsy. These neurological names describe the location and nature of the brain injuries causing cerebral palsy. Ataxic cerebral palsy is usually described by poor coordination of movements, low muscle tone and shaky, unstable movements. Ataxic cerebral palsy is a rare form of cerebral palsy and it is characterized as the impediment of the sense of balance and distortion of the depth perception. People affected by this rare form of cerebral palsy walk shaky and having a distorted perception of depth put their feet unusually far apart. A shakiness or tremor characterizes all their movements and the unsteady walk. People who suffer from ataxic cerebral palsy have extreme difficulty in holding or taking small objects, given the lack of stability of their movements. This affliction is similar to that of the old people. Children that attend schools and suffer from this neurological disorder need more time and focus to write, and this is due to the problems they have in the coordinating muscles processes and due to the lack of steady posture. That is why such children should be encouraged and approached with understanding and patience by teachers, parents and classmates. This form - ataxic cerebral palsy, affects 5 to 10 percent of the children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Simple movements that seem easy for other people are extremely difficult for ataxic cerebral palsy patients. Even actions that don’t require attention, time and efforts like taking a pen, turning a page or any other simple activity present problems and real challenges, for children that suffer from ataxic cerebral palsy. Specialists provide more and more information about this rare form - ataxic cerebral palsy. They claim that it is caused by cerebellum damage, which is the control center for coordination and balance. Ataxic cerebral palsy usually affects all four limbs of the affected individuals, as well as the trunk. Ataxic cerebral palsy sufferers need help in coordination and moving according to the real spatial coordinates. The trembling makes it difficult for a patient to make voluntary movements, especially when almost touching the desired object. These problems could be alleviated with the help of the drug treatment of cerebral palsy. Some drugs are already available, that are able to reduce these incapacitating symptoms, but they are not recommended for long-term use. There is a relatively new way of helping the ataxic cerebral palsy patients. This technique is called cooling the limbs, especially the arms. Its most profound results being the reduction of tremor, improving the dexterity, and having general physical activities done faster and more efficiently. The recommended time for cooling technique is in the morning, before starting the usual activities. Although ataxic cerebral palsy is a condition difficult to handle, there are therapies and drugs capable of helping the patients and contributing to limiting their dependence on professional caregivers. Although the above mentioned therapy offers significant improvement to the overall well being of the ataxic cerebral palsy sufferers, it is still far from being the total cure. |
