Cerebral Palsy
At Proveca, we are working to improve the lives of children with cerebral palsy, with the development of cerebral palsy medication for the symptomatic treatment for chronic drooling. If you are a healthcare professional and would like further information on prescribing chronic drooling medication, please see our prescribers page; our resources for treating diseases and disabilities in children may also be of interest.
We are also working with charities and organisations to support patients and carers, including The Bobath Centre for children with cerebral palsy, the European Bobath Tutors Association and Cerebral Palsy Sport.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of permanent disorders of movement and posture, which are caused by disturbances that occurred in the developing foetal or infant brain.1
Cerebral palsy represents the most common physical disability in childhood and occurs in around 1 in 500 live births.2
How & when is Cerebral Palsy diagnosed?
Diagnosis often occurs between the ages of 1 to 2 years and is based on clinical signs such as spasticity (muscle rigidity causing stiffness and movement restriction), dyskinesia (difficulty in performing voluntary movements) and ataxia (inability to coordinate muscle activity).2
How does Cerebral Palsy affect people?
Although people with cerebral palsy are affected to varying extents, many experience limitations of activities and other disabling medical conditions:2
- Chronic pain (experienced by 3 in 4 children with cerebral palsy)
- Intellectual disability (1 in 2)
- Hip displacement (1 in 3)
- Behavioural problems (1 in 4)
- Epilepsy (1 in 4)
- Bladder control problems (1 in 4)
- Chronic drooling (1 in 5)
- Sleep disorders (1 in 5)
- Blindness (1 in 10)
- Feeding difficulties (1 in 15 require tube feeding)
- Deafness (1 in 25)
How can Cerebral Palsy be treated?
Early strategies are recommended to optimise movement, cognition and communication skills and to prevent additional impairments and minimise complications.2
References:
- Rosenbaum P, et al. Dev Med Child Neurol Suppl. 2007;109:8-14.
- Novak I, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2017;171:897-907.
PCOM-TA-CP-V2
Reviewed November 2021