1. Ask Your Doctor About Physical Therapy Options
Spastic cerebral palsy, also known as mixed cerebral palsy, is a neurological condition that causes sudden jerky movements and a loss of motor skills. Spasms can occur when tight muscle groups are located next to underdeveloped muscle groups, causing a loss of coordination and balance. Your doctor can recommend a variety of physical therapy strategies designed to strengthen some muscle groups and stretch out others, providing a more seamless and consistent range of movement. These therapies may include magnetic types of therapy or electric stimulation in addition to conventional exercises.
2. Find out About Prescription Drugs That Reduce the Symptoms
A majority of individuals with spastic cerebral palsy take a combination of muscle relaxers and pain pills that can help to reduce the incidence of involuntary spasms. These types of prescription medications may also help to reduce stress that can aggravate spasms and other involuntary movements such as seizures, drooling, difficulty in swallowing, slurred speech and maintaining the correct posture for sitting and walking.
3. Ask Your Doctor for Help With Maintaining a Healthy Diet
Some individuals with spastic cerebral palsy may need help with getting the right amount of nutrients to stay healthy and strong. Malnutrition is a common concern with mixed cerebral palsy, since many patients have trouble with coordinating mouth, tongue and jaw movements. An even greater percentage of people with this impairment find it difficult to swallow food, or may have a problem with chronic vomiting due to underdeveloped stomach muscles. A high-fiber, low-fat diet is important for weight maintenance, since obesity can be a difficult obstacle to overcome in developing proper balance and muscle coordination. Protein is needed to build muscle and to keep spirits high.
