title: Cerebral palsy: the whys and hows.
abstract: The descriptive term of cerebral palsy encompasses the largest group of childhood movement disorders. Severity and pattern of clinical involvement varies widely dependent on the area of the central nervous system compromised. A multidisciplinary team approach is vital for all the aspects of management to improve function and minimise disability. From a medical viewpoint, there are two pronged approaches. First a focus on developmental and clinical comorbidities such as communication, behaviour, epilepsy, feeding problems, gastro-oesophageal reflux and infections; and second on specifics of muscle tone, motor control and posture. With regards to the latter, there is an increasing number of available treatments including oral antispasticity and antidystonic medications, injectable botulinum toxin, multilevel orthopaedic and neurosurgical options and a variety of complementary and alternative therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Neurosciences, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and Saint Thomas' Foundation trust, Kings Health Partners, London, UK. charlie.fairhurst@gstt.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Charlie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fairhurst
mesh_terms: D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020821:Dystonic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D010348:Patient Care Team; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D019051:Rhizotomy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A