EFFECTIVENESS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION IN IMPROVING MOTOR SKILLS AND MENTAL FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

Abstract

Cerebral palsy was first described by William John Little in 1846. There are many definitions of cerebral palsy that vary from author to author. However, we can say that cerebral palsy (CP) is a chronic non-progressive brain damage, postural and body motility disorder. Apart from sensorimotor abnormalities, some cases are accompanied by mental disorders as well as disorders of cognitive functions. It can occur during pregnancy, at birth or during the postnatal period, ie. prenatal, perinatal and postnatal - equally in both sexes. There are different classifications of cerebral palsy: according to changes in muscle tone, according to topographic features and according to the severity of the clinical picture.According to changes in muscle tone, they are divided into: Spastic form, Athetoid form, Ataxic form, Hypotonic form and Mixed form. According to the topography they are classified as: Diplegia, Quadriplegia, Hemiplegia, Triplegia and Monoplegia Physical therapy program is determined based on the clinical form of the disease. When determining a rehabilitation program, the principle of an individual approach is followed. Rehabilitation includes: physical medicine, kinesitherapy, reflex exercises according to Vojta, manual massage, thermotherapy, education of parents for rehabilitation at home; orthopedic aids; special education techniques. The aim of this study is to determine the role and impact of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy in early childhood. The research was conducted at the University of Southeast Europe - (Stul University) at the Faculty of Health Sciences in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, over a period of 6 months, from the beginning of April to the end of September 2023. 61 patients with cerebral palsy are included in the research, of which 28 are male, and the remaining 33 patients are female. The patients included in the research are classified into groups according to: gender, age and clinical form of cerebral palsy. The treatment of Cerebral Palsy (CP) has a complex character and includes medical, pedagogical and social rehabilitation. The individual tasks of the rehabilitation are determined after a functional examination of the motor abilities, where the main role is played by muscle tone, normal and pathological reflex motor activity, in the period up to 1 year of age. The goal of treatment with Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation is to achieve correct and timely development of movements and correction of pathological movement stereotypes (models), which occurred as a result of brain tissue damage. As for the motor deficit, kinesitherapy plays a major role. Established modern methods for kinesitherapy are the specialized methods for neuromuscular re-education of Vojta and Bobath. The Rood and Rabat methods werw also be used to facilitate the required movements and train coordination. Physical therapy and rehabilitation combined with kinesitherapy have an exceptional positive effect in: prevention of pathological primitive reflexes;creation and automation of normal active movements;saving irregular positions of the limbs and the whole body;establishment of balance and correct pattern of movement; fight against spasticity, secondary contractures and deformities; improvement of coordination and awareness of the body in relation to the environment.