Should my boy continue physical therapy for cerabral palsy?

Question

My son is now 5 months 21 days old, he was born 67 days before he should, and stayed in NICU for almost two months.

We took him to doctor last week and the docter suggested us to have him physical therapy for cerebral palsy as he,
1. Walks on tiptoes if put his feet on floor
2. His tiptoes often bend downside
3. His legs are not so flexible as other normal infants.

By now he could move his eyes and head along moving objects, he could slurp many syllables, he smiles a lot, he could erect his head for a long time, he can grasp toys, and seems study them sometimes. And we had the MRI result yesterday, it said everything of his brain was normal.

However, he can't laugh by now, and seems have difficulty in feeding, sometimes he even crys when being fed.

So it is really a hard choice for us, should my boy move on with the therapy? Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

My Doc told us if we hadn't started PT when we did, (7 months) our son would not be walking, talking, and getting ready to start all-inclusive Kindergarten in September. Like I said, he started at 7 mos, and is now 5 years old. We have gone to PT 1-2 times per week for over 4 years now, and I truly believe he would not be as mobile if we had just let him lay in a bed and allow his muscles to get tighter. If you do not have PT, your son may have tendon shortening, which causes even more tip-toes and in the future he may need surgery for it.

From what you describe, our experiences are very similar. At 5 months, my son was nowhere near sitting up, he was drooling a lot, and he spit up every time he was fed. He was also very irritable, but we found out it was a milk allergy causing all the crying.

I am confused with the "normal MRI". CP is caused from lack of oxygen to the brain, which in turn causes the damage, which shows up in the MRI. Was he sedated for the MRI? My son had his MRI at 13 months, but the Ped. Neuro. said the damage would show no matter what age the MRI was done. He said it will never get better or worse, with respect to the test results, not your child's motor skills.

You can never go wrong with PT, it cannot do any damage, and it will only help your son. It will be worth it in the long run. Sometimes I see older kids with CP that are mobile, but have a fisted hand, or a severe limp, and I wonder if they had Physical Therapy. Please do this for your child. I hope you have a Pediatric PT in your area, we drive 4 hours round trip for ours. We have a Pediatric Feldenkrais PT and she has done wonders for our son, in my opinion it's better than traditional PT for our child. Go to www.feldenkrais.com to find a practitioner in your area and learn more about this type of PT. Good luck!

Answer 2

All the previous answers indicate that the readers assume your child has CP. I'm not so sure, and I would definitely seek a second and third opinion from pediatric neurologists-specialists in the field..
First of all, preemie babies tend to develop motor and cognitive skills at a slower pace than full term babies.
CP is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, many times due to birth trauma. A premature birth does not necessarily indicate either of these. Have you noticed any spasmodic movements, that is,do his arms or legs seem to shake much of the time?
Don't compare your son to other babies.
.
My youngest son didn't utter a word--just made grunting sounds when he wanted something---until he was 3 years old. Today he is 23, has an IQ of a genius, and has won several scholastic awards. He has just started his own business, and I have no doubt that he will be successful. His pediatrician almost had me convinced that he was mentally retarded!

Please do yourselves a favor. Get other professional opinions, and they will ease your concerns. CP children have very different physical and emotional as they get older. If your child does indeed have cerebral palsy, then I would expect a detailed explanation of what could have caused it, what to expect, and how severe his disease is. There are 3 or 4 classifications. Accept nothing less. Don't get talked into "fixing something that's not broke". Before you proceed with any kind of therapy or treatment, make sure you get ANSWERS FROM PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGISTS. I can't express it enough. No matter what, be ever Faithful!
God Bless,
Joan

Answer 3

Right now your son doesn't have the ability to use his muscles normally. He probably finds that he doesn't have the strength to move his arms and legs, and therefore they kind of waste away a bit and it quickens the progression of the disorder. By getting him in therapy right now at this young of an age, they will work with him to move correcty and work those muscles he is neglecting. They will keep him from getting what are called contractures which are where the muscle becomes rigid and will not move and the arm or leg is permanently "stuck" in a flexed position. I would definitely encourage you to get him into therapy. It may seem silly at only 5 months old, but it will pay off in the long run. Also in therapy, they will work with both of you to teach you how to work with him at home and activities and things that way you can do to help promote his development.

Figure it this way, it may be a little bit costly in the long run, but the therapy can't possibly hurt him in any way. If he gets no true benefit from it (which is highly, highly unlikely), it won't make his condition worse by any means.

I would encourage you to find a pediatric physical therapist to work with your son though. Sometimes adult physical therapists aren't up with all the best hints and tips to get kids moving right, but I'm sure your doctor can point you in the right direction.

This is a very difficult decision, but I applaud you and your husband for accessing all possible resources to make this decision. You aren't going to find a definitive answer on here, but you never know when you come across someone who has had similar experiences or whatever. Bravo to both of you. Good luck with your precious little one!!!!

Answer 4

I am so sorry, this must be so difficult for you, I think you should continue with the physical therapy, it will help. However , have a look on the web under: 4mychild.com This appears to be an excelent site with lots of support, education and health advise in respect of Cerabral Palsy. Keep up the good work and enjoy your child. Tom Tom

Answer 5

Yes! Yes! Yes! At his age it is the perfect time to begin to strengthen him, and to continue. It could only do good! He may have gas problems or colic if he cries during feedings, but physical therapy will make him more functional and therefore happier. Don't stop; continue! Research websites concerning cerebral palsy, which I'm sure you've already started to do. There are different levels of the developmental disability, from mild to severe. It will only strengthen the muscles so he can be more independent. God bless you and your child!

Answer 6

Sorry, I can't. I have an implant that does that 24/7 for my leg/groin/neuropathy pain. It was at a level of 8-9 for several years and now I can control the intensiity to block the pain. It is around a 2 average. I wish they had put in a zipper. I have to have the batteries changed every 3 years and it requires surgery in the same area each time. AH! Modern medicine! Dr. Tommy Skelton

Answer 7

Yes continue the therapy until the doctor says to discontinue.

You will only be helping the child. Also a lot of kids tippy toe at that age

Answer 8

YES, definitely have him do physical therapy.

I have seen physical therapy, also know as exercise!, to help a LOT of people, young and old, with a LOT of physical and emotional problems.

You see, when they are exercising, they force the body to work normally and they force the mind to focus on the exercise.

Some children develop quickly, some develop slowly. If you can teach your son how to exercise, and increase the weight of the exercising as he grows older, his body will grow stronger, normal.

It will take time and patience. Exercise along side of your child and he will learn to copy you.

A good site is ALLEXPERTS. Look under health, then look under childrens health.

Answer 9

Physical therapy is a must with a CP child. He is going to have to learrn how to move his body parts the right way. Taking Phsical Therapy away would be a mistake. Good Luck to both of you.

Answer 10

At 5 months you can't tell what is going to help or not. I say, do therapy because it won't hurt him in the long run and there is no way of telling now if he will be better off for having it in the future.