Understanding the diagnosis
Information on diagnoses, current therapies and centres in Austria and abroad, studies and research findings, psychological counselling for parents in the phase of shock.
Every neurological condition is individual. That is why it is important to quickly find a specialist you trust. Early Intervention focuses on cerebral palsy – early brain injuries occurring before birth up to the age of 3.
However, a quick diagnosis, so that intervention can start as early as possible and long-term effects can be reduced, is equally important for all neurological and genetic conditions. Even with rare metabolic disorders, prompt adjustment of medication is important.
What is infantile cerebral palsy?
A cerebral movement disorder means that your child has an injury in the motor area of the brain. Other regions may also be affected, impairing communication or cognition.
In the USA and Northern Europe, CP-EDIT (Early Diagnosis and Intervention Trial) has set the goal of diagnosing as early as possible and drawing up an individual therapy plan together with the parents.
Here, too, use AI to inform yourself quickly and comprehensively. Here is a guide.
Watch a video for parents here
A distinction is made between cerebral palsy (a brain injury that is congenital or acquired very early) and childhood stroke, a brain haemorrhage that occurs later in childhood.
In the case of an acute stroke, “early rehab” is necessary – intensive treatment and care to limit the damage.
In the case of a past event, such as a brain haemorrhage during pregnancy or a condition caused by a genetic defect, a “continuing” – long-term – rehab with intervention as early as possible is needed – Early Intervention.
Forms of cerebral palsy
In Austria, about 6,000 children are affected by a cerebral movement disorder, around 4,000 of them by cerebral palsy, i.e. from birth or within the first two years after. It is considered the most common disability in childhood. About 3 in 1,000 children are born with cerebral palsy. In Austria that is between 200 and 250 children per year.
Whereas a distinction used to be made between hemi-, tetra/quadri-, para- and diparesis for incomplete paralysis and -plegia for complete paralysis, today the only distinction is between unilateral, when only one side of the body is affected, and bilateral paresis, when both sides of the body are affected.
Children born prematurely are more likely to be affected by bilateral ICP, while children born at term are more likely to have unilateral palsy, a hemiparesis.
CP is typically described by the movement disorders involved and the areas of the brain affected. The four main types are:
- Spastic cerebral palsy (approx. 70%)
- Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (approx. 6%)
- Ataxic cerebral palsy (approx. 6%)
- Mixed cerebral palsy
more on this: Cerebral palsy explained simply (German)
Important: The first 2–3 years in the life of your child with ICP, infantile cerebral palsy, are crucial, because during this time your child's brain is still very neuroplastic and, with intensive movement training, able to partly compensate for injured areas. Malpositions caused by not using the affected limbs can often still be prevented with early intensive therapy. This is called Early Intervention.