Maternal Health and Paediatric Care: Cerebral Palsy Analysis

This report delves into the complexities of maternal health and paediatric care, with a specific focus on cerebral palsy. It begins by outlining the historical context of cerebral palsy and the challenges associated with its diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing the shift from focusing solely on intellectual handicaps to a more holistic approach. The report then explores the causes of cerebral palsy, including congenital brain malformations, issues during delivery, and factors related to parental age and family history. It provides a detailed classification of cerebral palsy based on topography, including spastic quadriplegia, spastic hemiparesis, and spastic diplegia. The report also addresses associated health issues such as epilepsy and the importance of adjusting to the child's developmental stages. It references various articles and studies to support its findings, including discussions on psychological factors, the impact of physical health, and the role of social involvement in schools. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the importance of nutrition, environmental factors, and family support in helping children with cerebral palsy adapt to their conditions. It concludes by offering health promotion and maintenance strategies that schools can implement to assist children and families during the transition to primary school, including growth and development surveillance, promotion of physical activity, and health counseling. The report also highlights the impact of parental education and cultural background on the family's response to treatment and care.

Running Head: MATERNAL HEALTH AND PAEDIAETRIC CARE 1
Maternal Health and Paediatric Care
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Around thirty years ago, cerebral palsy along with other activities associated with the
development of the disabilities was considered as a huge challenge to recover. The emphasis had
been focused on the intellectual handicap, and also on most of the children those are suffering
from these issues. (Aspesberro, Mangione-Smith & Zimmerman, 2015). This denoted to
placement in a categorized care unit or a health care institution regarding sub normal treatment.
The voluntary agencies which are very much concern about this issue establish the special
educational institution's for treatment of the children and other individuals suffering from health
cerebral palsy and other similar associated disabilities (Fda.gov, 2017).
As a health care provider of a young child who has been recently diagnosed with cerebral
palsy which is in the transition of getting promoted health pre-school to primary school it is
mandatory to be aware of the causes of cerebral palsy which is described as follows:
A malformation of cortical development is included in the congenital brain malformations
which are considered among the renowned causes of cerebral palsy. The newly developed and
modern techniques of imaging have been enabling more children with such health cases to be
identified (Bethell, et al., 2014). More knowledge can be gained regarding critical dysplasia
among which some contain genetic basis which is witnessing rapid increase (healthypeople,
2017). The other health conditions which are very much associated with the cerebral palsy are
various kinds of cerebral malformations and children having congenital malformations of the
brain also have additional anomalies which are not included in the central nervous system (Garg
et al., 2015).
These kinds of causes encompass problems during delivery and labor pain during
childbirth in the mothers (Maternal and Child Health, 2017). Obstetric emergencies like the ante
partum haemorrhage, obstructed labor or cord prolapsed may lead to compromise the fetus which
may further result in hypoxia. However, essential criteria need to be fulfilled for the attribution
the condition to acute intrapartum a category (Bourke‐Taylor et al., 2013).
Siblings and parental factors are reported very rarely. A very advanced paternal age is very
frequently relevant in the case of cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is classified into the following topography which is described as follows:
This category of cerebral palsy is the most severe category that involved the trunk and all
the four limbs in risk. In this case, the upper limbs are very severely affected than that the lower

MATERNAL HEALTH AND PAEDIAETRIC CARE3
limbs and the medical condition are further associated with acute hypoxic intrapartum asphyxia
(Chang et al., 2015).
Spastic hemiparesis is a conditioned unilateral paresis in which the upper limbs are very
much affected than the lower limbs. It is mostly found in the case of infants which accounts
health around 58 percent and 17 percent of preterm infants (Maternal and Child Health Bureau,
2017).
Spastic diplegia is related to the low and prematurity birth weight. Mostly all the preterm
infants suffering diplegia have the injury in the brain. The ischemia mostly occurs in the zone of
the arterial vascular distributions. Around half of the children in Australia happen to develop
such kind of frank cerebellar deficits with ataxia, in coordination and impaired movements which
are very rapid and successive (Chemtob, Gudiño&Laraque, 2013).
Children those are suffering from cerebral palsy also associated with major different issues
like epilepsy. The process of adjustment of children would include making them pass through the
development stages by making them solve conventional developmental tasks along with
challenges presented by the health condition (Maternal & Child Health Bureau, 2017).
The child, in this case, needs to be taught in the school to build strong and friendly
connections with other children, deal and handle the changes in his body. Adjustment to the
disability and the chronic diseases associated with it is adjusted with the degree of cerebral palsy,
interpretation of cerebral palsy as per the child’s age, condition’s visibility, communicative and
perceptual functioning of the child, and emotional status of the child (Davis et al., 2014).
For the locating the articles for the study and findings for the questions, the search engine
which was used was Google and the key words which were used included “children suffering
from cerebral palsy, major health issue adaptation and adjustment in schools by health care
taker”.
In the article “Psychological factors in children with cerebral palsy and their families” by
Svetlana Logar, cerebral palsy which is a chronic health issue serves as a framework of
disability that occurs in childhood age which further gets manifested in a group of constraints in

MATERNAL HEALTH AND PAEDIAETRIC CARE4
the function of the body (Logar, 2012). These abnormalities in the physical functioning arise
from the disorders of the central nervous systems. According to “Health status of Australian
children with mild to severe cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional survey using the Child Health
Questionnaire” by M Wake* MD FRACP MBChB, Director and team, children suffering from
severe cerebral palsy happen to have poorest physical health (Wake, Salmon & Reddihough,
2003). Children suffering from cerebral palsy were found to have bad health on every scale of
Child Health Questionnaire which helped the team in the study (National Center for
Biotechnology Information, 2017). The article also revealed that the psychosocial health along
with the emotional impact on the parents and the caretaker was found to be similar to that of
severe and mild cerebral palsy which further stated that these should not be given less
importance in the case of mild cerebral palsy (Karwowski et al., 2016).
In the article “Mental health problems in children with neuromotor disabilities” by
Benjamin Klein and Canadian Pediatric Society, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Committee, the environment provided in the school for children suffering from cerebral palsy
needs to be very positive. It is also stated that the social involvement at school is observed to be
providing a protective factor in the development of health of children (Klein, 2016). The findings
derived from this article suggest that the children suffering from motor disorders like cerebral
palsy increases the risk for neglecting the studies and social difficulties. According to the article
on the “Cerebral Palsy World”, the changes in the aspects of environment would need to
incorporate coordination and balance in the behavior of the child suffering from cerebral palsy.
Most of them are in or during the ages of seven to twelve (healthypeople, 2017). In these ages,
the rate of physical improvement of the child levels off which increases the importance of
intellectual growth and learning along with increased focus on physical improvement. There is a
contrast between the encouragement for the children with no disabilities and children suffering
from cerebral palsy.
According to “Growth and Nutrition Disorders in Children” article by Michelle N. Kuperminc
and Richard D. Stevenson, nutrition is found to play a very crucial role in the capability of the
children suffering from cerebral palsy to adjust with the physical and cognitive limitations and
the reactions of others around them as proper nutrition would enhance proper working of the
hormones and other internal systems of the children’s body (Kuperminc& Stevenson, 2008). The

MATERNAL HEALTH AND PAEDIAETRIC CARE5
article further states that the ability of the children suffering from cerebral palsy to adjust and
react is greatly affected by the environmental factors which are often identified and yet poorly
understood. It provided with the information that the children suffering from such disorder who
are found to be living in the residential health care facilities have better physical health.
According to the article “Chronic illness in childhood: Psychosocial adaptation and nursing
support for the child and family” by D.Theofanidis, psychological support of the family is very
much important for the children with cerebral palsy to adjust and cope with the cognitive and
physical limitations and the reaction of others (Theofanidis, 2007). In accordance to “the
Adolescent with a Chronic Condition” by Dr .-A. Michaud, the relationship with the team
providing health care plays a very significant role in the ability to adapt to the cognitive and
physical limitations (Michaud, Suris & Viner, 2007). The research and findings in the journal
“Parents Adjustment for Caring for Cerebral Palsy Children” by Manal M., Mostafa, and team,
proper respiratory exercises, dental care, frequent conversations with the child, helped the
children to adjust with such disabilities in adapting to the cognitive and physical changes. As
mentioned in the article “Education Techniques to help Children with Cerebral Palsy in the
Classroom” by Dr Anne Zachry, assistance provided by the teachers and other faculties in the
schools play a very prominent role in the capability of the children suffering with cerebral palsy
to adapt as well as cope with various changes and reaction of other people towards them
(McInerny, et al., 2016). The role of the professional physical therapist is very crucial in such
cases according to the article as it would enhance the gross motor skills of the children along
with the mobility and endurance which will help them in dealing with the changes in the
cognitive and physical aspects of life (Maternal and Child Health, 2017). The use of assistive
technological equipment can also help the students in having proper and effective
communication (Nair et al., 2014). Having a speech-language therapist would also assist in
helping the student with cerebral palsy in communicating functionally in all educational and
social environments (Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 2017).
The health promotion and maintenance strategies that the schools might consider to
implement in assisting the transition of the child along with the family into primary school
environment are as follows:

MATERNAL HEALTH AND PAEDIAETRIC CARE6
Growth and development surveillance would provide crucial clues regarding the
environment and condition of the kid with cerebral paralysis. Evaluation of the child height,
growth, body mass index and weight need to be calculated at every visit of health supervision
can be done. Parents would be given the data and information which would be provided to them
in a written form and interpreted (Oza-Frank et al., 2015). Promotion of physical activity in the
schools would enhance the health benefits to the children with cerebral palsy. It has been noted
that there is an increasing disparity between reality and recommendations among these children.
Barriers to physical activity such as lack of opportunities, transportation problems, lack of time
and expense can be eradicated by the schools and further facilitate physical activity (Patel et al.,
2013).
The authorities of schools need to incorporate health counseling and education for
promoting healthy behaviors in the children with cerebral palsy. Instances of much-focused
counseling and education of health may include identification of perceptions of family members
which would further help in setting limited agenda, clarification of the requirements of both the
kid and family and choosing teaching strategy (Maternal & Child Health Bureau, 2017). Finally,
the evaluations of the effectiveness of the teaching strategies need to be incorporated by the
authorities of the school (Zvara, Schoppe‐Sullivan & Dush, 2013). The level of education of the
parents and the cultural background has prominent implications on the reaction of the family to
the treatment of the child regarding cerebral palsy. Guardians and parents of the children
suffering from cerebral palsy having high educational qualification happen to have the cognitive
capability and comprehension regarding the medical conditions, especially conditions like
cerebral palsy (Paul et al., 2013). They happen to understand and accept the diagnosis and the
medical implications that cerebral palsy of their children. They will be more receptive to
recommendations provided by the health care providers and doctors during diagnosis and post-
diagnosis (Fda.gov, 2017). Then again, the guardians of the kids with cerebral paralysis who
don't have the legitimate instructive capability, for the most part, tend not to have an open and
expansive personality and gathering to the conclusion of their kids with cerebral paralysis. This
area of guardians, as a rule, happens to posture negative responses to the conclusion of their
youngster with cerebral paralysis. By and large, they would expect the restorative condition to be
to a great degree perilous which can trigger negative responses from the guardians (Raju et al.,

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2014). The Cultural foundation of the guardians additionally assumes a critical part in deciding
the response of the guardians towards the conclusion of cerebral paralysis in their kid. Parents
with flexible culture are more receptive to the medical condition while the parents with rigid
culture will have a hard time in accepting the medical condition (Ramakrishnan, Oberg & Kirby,
2014). Likewise, the parent with optimum educational and cultural background will be more
supportive while providing health care while the parents with less educational qualification and
rigid cultural background will be having comparatively stressful time while handling the care on
a long-term basis (Fda.gov, 2017).
As per professional’s experimental learning it’s clear that in spite of the intellectual deficiencies
the health education to the children those having such disabilities are possible. Professionals
were able to gain knowledge regarding developing skills and techniques with the complicated
aspects of the cerebral palsy (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2017). Families
who have children with cerebral palsy need to have a positive attitude towards their child. There
is a need for educating the parents as well as the public regarding the causes of cerebral palsy
and options of treatment available to the respective families. Various innovative strategies and
programs are required to be incorporated by the providers of healthcare as well as the
educational institutions for providing effective and efficient care regarding the medical
condition.
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