Question
My brother’s wife had a difficult delivery with her daughter. She originally planned for a natural birth, but ended up having to choose cesarean section due to dystocia. The child might have been oxygen-deprived in her mother’s womb for too long, as she was found to be different from other children shortly after birth, showing delayed development. Now, at 3 years old, she cannot walk.
Answer
Cerebral palsy typically refers to non-progressive motor disorders caused by various reasons leading to brain damage or abnormal brain development from birth to one month postpartum. Treatment plans should aim to maximize the child’s function and improve their quality of life, minimize secondary joint deformities and soft tissue contractures, and delay or avoid surgery as much as possible. Specific treatment plans should be determined by rehabilitation doctors, therapists, and orthodontists.