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Nausea and vomiting are worrying symptoms in your child. While they are nothing to worry about in most cases, they can sometimes be a sign of something more serious, like a concussion.
4 Therapies to Help Your Child with Cerebral Palsy Thrive
Learning that your child has cerebral palsy (CP) can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to know that today’s therapies offer real hope. With early intervention, consistent support, and a personalized care plan, children with CP can build strength, independence, and confidence.
Dr. Henry Hasson is a board-certified pediatric neurologist in Brooklyn, New York, offering expert care to the greater New York City area and reaching patients in New Jersey, Florida, Vermont, Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Israel through telemedicine.
Learn more from Dr. Hasson about the challenges of cerebral palsy, how it affects the body, and evidence-based therapies that help children with CP thrive physically, emotionally, and socially.
Understanding cerebral palsy
CP is a group of neurological conditions caused by damage to the developing brain. It usually develops before birth and is diagnosed during infancy.
This injury affects how the brain communicates with muscles, leading to challenges with movement, posture, balance, and coordination.
Some children with CP experience muscle stiffness (spasticity). Others may have low muscle tone, involuntary movements, or difficulty with fine motor skills.
Additionally, depending on the area of the brain involved, a child may experience speech and language difficulties, feeding challenges, seizures, or sensory processing issues.
With individualized therapy and medical care, many children with CP reach developmental milestones, attend school, and participate actively in family and community life.
Four therapies that can help your child with cerebral palsy thrive
Consider these four therapies for benefits that can last a lifetime:
1. Building strength and mobility with physical therapy and adaptive sports
Physical therapy (PT) is often the cornerstone of cerebral palsy treatment. It focuses on improving muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination.
Through guided exercises, stretching, and movement training, physical therapists help children learn how to move more efficiently and safely. For many children, physical therapy reduces muscle stiffness and helps prevent joint contractures.
PT also supports key milestones such as sitting, crawling, standing, and walking. When started early and practiced consistently, physical therapy can significantly improve long-term mobility and independence.
Adaptive sports can be a great way to build strength, confidence, social skills, all while having fun. There are many adaptive sports programs available including skiing, tennis, sailing, bowling, gardening, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, rock climbing, and many others as well.
2. Supporting daily activities with occupational therapy
Occupational therapy helps children with cerebral palsy develop the skills needed for everyday life, including activities such as feeding, dressing, writing, playing, and using adaptive tools.
Occupational therapists focus on fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and sensory processing. They may also recommend braces, assistive devices, or environmental modifications to make daily tasks easier.
By improving functional independence, occupational therapy empowers children to participate more fully at home, in school, and in social settings.
3. Enhancing communication with speech and language therapy
Many children with cerebral palsy benefit from speech and language therapy. This therapy addresses speech clarity, language development, and social communication skills.
For children with limited verbal abilities, therapists may introduce alternative or augmentative communication methods, such as picture boards or speech-generating devices.
Speech therapists also help with swallowing and feeding difficulties, which are common in CP. Improving these skills supports better nutrition, safety, and overall quality of life.
4. Boosting emotional growth with behavioral and developmental therapy
Living with cerebral palsy can bring emotional and behavioral challenges, especially as children grow older and become more aware of differences. Behavioral and developmental therapies help children build coping skills, emotional regulation, and positive social behaviors.
These therapies often work best when combined with family education and school-based support. A child’s emotional well-being is just as important as physical progress, and addressing both leads to the best outcomes.
Ready to learn more?
Every child with cerebral palsy is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment plan. A multidisciplinary approach that combines physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapies gives children the best opportunity to thrive.
With early intervention, expert guidance, and family support, children with cerebral palsy can lead fulfilling, meaningful lives.
Schedule a visit with Dr. Hasson today. Call the office or request an appointment online.
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