Transcript Cerebral Palsy

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Graduated with my BS in Healthcare
Administration from Quinnipiac University in
Connecticut
My first job was at Gaylord Hospital, a not for
profit rehab hospital. I started as a secretary in
the Industrial Rehab program making $12.02/hr.
Met my future husband at the copy machine
at work!
Worked my way up through the system to,
Outpatient Department Business Coordinator
then moving to I.T. and ending my 7 years at
the hospital at a senior level in the Information
Systems department.
Moved to Florida!
 Business Manager for a for-profit
outpatient rehab clinic in Naples.
 Gave up my career in 2003 to be a stay
at home mom
 Welcomed to children: Nicholas (now
11) Alexandra (now 9)
 During my 9 years at home with my kids
dad diagnosed with primary brain tumor.
I was his secondary care giver.
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After watching the therapy my dad
received, I felt the need to have a
“hands on” approach with people
 Soon after his passing, I was offered
position as a Helping Teacher in a Lee
County Public Schools in a self contained
Functional Skills classroom
 LOVE MY JOB! NO $$$....
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OTA SCHOOL!!!
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a broad term that
is used to describe several neurological
disorders that can occur during
pregnancy, at birth or shortly after birth.
 CP is caused by an injury or insult to a
fetus or infant’s brain.
 CP is a non-curable life long condition
 CP damage does not worsen over time
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Some causes of CP are:
› Injury to the brain
› Illness
› Inflammation of the brain
› Abnormal brain development
› Severe jaundice
› CVA
› Anoxia
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CP can affect a persons:
› Body movements
› Muscle control
› Muscle coordination
› Muscle tone
› Reflex
› Balance
› Posture
CP is the most common of childhood
disabilities.
 CP affects two to three of every 1000
children.
 How CP affects a child’s motor
functioning and intellectual ability is
dependent on the severity, nature and
location of the brain injury.
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CP can affect all or part of the body:
› Monoplegia: affecting one limb (usually arm)
› Diplegia: primarily affecting the lower
extremities
› Hemiplegia: affecting the upper and lower
extremities on one side of the body
› Quadriplegia: affecting bilateral upper and
bilateral lower extremities, sometimes
including the trunk
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CP is also classified by the quality of motor
movement:
› Spastic: high tone characterized by tight rigid
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muscles
Athetoid: fluctuating muscle tone and writhing
movements
Ataxic: characterized by lack of coordination
with intentional movements
Hypotonic: low tone, loose muscles and lax joints
Mixed: a combination of two or more of above
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Activities of Daily Living
(ADL’s)
Instrumental Activities of
Daily Living (IADL’s)
Leisure
Accommodations and
Modifications
Support for the
development of muscle
strength and motor
function
Support for the
development of motor,
communication and
interaction skills
Tone management
Assistive technology and
adaptive equipment
 Family coaching and
training
 Support for the
development of self
determination skills
 Support for the
development of prevocational skills
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Many children with CP have eating and
drinking difficulties. These can range from
minor difficulties in coordination of oral
movements to severe coordination
difficulties of the swallowing mechanism,
which could cause health concerns and
even life threatening conditions
 There could sensory issues associated with
CP such as oral tactile defensiveness, or the
opposite where they may under react to
food in their mouth
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Proper seating and positioning which
improves postural control can improve
feeding and swallowing
 Making sure food is prepared to a proper
consistency
 Constantly assessing oral motor function
and modifying feeding intervention as
needed
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92P
oLJTAbUQ