Children with cerebral palsy differ from adults in that their brains (their movement control centre) and their musculoskeletal system (bones and muscles) are not yet fully developed.
Cerebral palsy impacts on a child’s ability to control movement making muscles floppy (low toned or flaccidity), stiff (high toned or spasticity) or uncoordinated (dystonia and ataxia).
Children learn through movement they explore play and learn about, depth, shape, texture, volume distance and harm by moving through their environment. When moving is difficult learning becomes a greater challenge.
Stiff, floppy or uncoordinated muscles pull on the immature and growing skeleton and this can cause developmental problems such as scoliosis, contractures and joint problems especially in the hips.
Physiotherapists work to re-educate more normal movement patterns and treat and manage the muscles to maximise the child’s opportunity to learn through movement and reduce the impact of the pull on growing bones.
Our physiotherapists can work with a child at school or at home, we have physiotherapists working in our Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire communities.