Cerebral College Essay

1. Introduction
1.1Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is one of the most serious neurological disorders which are usually diagnosed in the early childhood. Cerebral palsy is a disorder of the primarily motor body functions. Caused by damage or incomplete development of the brain areas that regulate, supervise and coordinate movements and balance of the body. The gravity of the condition varies from case to case. Some have very light disabilities and show no apparent disability. Others however, have much more serious disabilities such as gait, balance, speech, while some are totally dependent. Cerebral palsy occurs in about 2.1 per 1000 live births. Rates appear to be similar in both the developing and developed world. The rate is higher in males
than in females; in Europe it is 1.3 times more common in males (Maryam, et al., 2013) As it was mentioned before CP is caused an damage during the development of the brain. This can occur during pregnancy, delivery, the first month of life, or less commonly in early childhood.
Sins and symptoms of cerebral palsy can be categorized in groups:
Spastic cerebral palsy can occur when the muscles are forcless and stiff (hypertonia), especially if moving them rapidly.
Dyskinetic cerebral palsy can occur when the muscle tone (the unconscious ability to contract or relax muscles) varies between stiffness and floppiness (hypotonia), causing random and uncontrolled body movements (choreo-athetoid cerebral palsy), or involuntary spasms and postures (dystonic cerebral palsy).
Ataxic cerebral palsy can occur when a person has balance and co-ordination problems, resulting in jerky and clumsy movements; they may also experience tremors (involuntary shaking) in their hands.
Mixed cerebral palsy can occur when a person has features of more than one of the types mentioned above. Rehabilitation of children with CP is physiotherapy. Physiotherapy treatment goals are to increase coordination and improve balance, increase strength, increase range of motion and maintain flexibility. Focusing in their limitations and improve gait and decreasing pain and discomfort. The physiotherapist will develop a course of treatment that will include exercises, stretches, and possibly assistive and adaptive equipment designed to achieve mobility. The treatment may also employ the use of passive modalities involving hot and cold packs, ultrasound technology or other means in which the child does not take an active role.

1.2Hippotherapy
According to the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA), is a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that uses equine movement as part of an integrated intervention program to achieve functional outcomes (AHA 2010).
The first standardized hippotherapy curriculum would be formulated in the late 1980s by a group of Canadian and American therapists who traveled to Germany to learn about hippotherapy and would bring the new discipline back to North America upon their return. The discipline was formalized in the United States in 1992 with the formation of the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA). Hippotherapy has been used to treat patients with neurological or other disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, head injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, behavioral disorders and psychiatric disorders.
In hippotherapy, the therapist uses the passive and natural movements of the horse as a method of treating patients with neurological disorders and other disabilities. Hippotherapy is performed under the direct supervision of a physiotherapist, speech therapist, occupational therapist or others health professional. (AHA, 2010) The horse usually is led by an experienced person who can handle the animal to ensure patient safety. The horse is usually led at a walking or trotting pace. There are assistants which are usually present on each side of the horse to help stabilize the repositioning of the
patient.