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Central motor disturbance and infant cerebral palsy The expression for "Central Motor Disturbance (CMD)" has been used for the first time by Dr. Vaclav Vojta as a designation of that transitional state of the baby during its first year of life, where neurological impairments are present and damages to the CNS can be positively confirmed but where uncertainty to the future evolution of the problem still exists. It is very important to assess immediately and realistically the possible risk of developing ICP. In cases where the risk of further development of ICP is increased therapy must start without any further delay. Medical practice shows that if there are suspicions or possible deviations, child's chances for future and better development must be preserved. Therefore, prophylactic therapy is advised. The symptoms of ICP become obvious towards the end of first year of baby's life. Diagnosis is then established at two. In the first months of baby's life the symptoms in the pathological state are not noticeable, as the baby's state is very different to what it will be in later months. One must bear in mind that damages to the Central Nervous System (CNS) which can occur before, during or after baby's birth are the risk factors for developing ICP, and fully recognised within the first few months of life. This is due the CNS' is extreme “plasticity” during this period. That is why it is of great importance to look out for any deviations characteristic to CP and in cases of CP to immediately advise suitable therapy in order to improve any neurological deficits. It is very important to understand that the diagnosis and the stimulation run simultaneously and not consecutively, as the therapy is not aimed at correcting one element but at correcting the overall neurological development allowing to partially or fully compensate the negative influences of any possible damages to the CNS. ICP is a disease related to the damages in different levels or forms, which include impairments of the psycho-motor and the psycho-social development, pre-verbal development, SL development. These deviations are directly linked to the cognitive, learning and communicational abilities of the patient. Accompanying impairments in the level of High Cortical Functions are often present. The ICP is a condition where different brain functions have been impaired. Not only the co-ordination of the rough and fine motor skills are limited but more often the speech abilities (active and passive speech, articulation, breathing), the psychological activity (attention, memory, perception, body scheme and orientation in space, emotions, behaviour, social skills), vision and hearing are also affected. This condition is extremely versatile in its manifestations, as every child has a different correlation between the damaged functions in such a quickly developing substance such as the child's brain. This is why the ICP demands a complex, polyvalent and multilevel medical, psychological, SL and learning rehabilitation. |
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