Premature babies have delayed brain development

Brain retardation is relatively common among premature babies. We know that premature babies are prone to brain damage, which can easily lead to brain retardation. Therefore, premature babies are an important cause of cerebral palsy. Some premature babies will show various symptoms such as mental retardation as they grow older. Therefore, if you are a premature baby, you must check it in time and treat it as soon as possible if the disease is discovered.

Premature babies have delayed brain development

1. Motor lag and reduced active movement: Normal children can lift their heads when lying prone and kick their legs when lying supine at 3 months old, but children with cerebral palsy rarely have these movements.

Normal children can actively reach out and touch objects when they are 4-5 months old, but children with cerebral palsy have very little upper limb activity.

2. Abnormal muscle tone: Children with cerebral palsy have lower or higher muscle tone than normal children.

3. Abnormal posture: Children with cerebral palsy often have their heads tilted back, fall backward when sitting at 6 months old, squeeze their legs together, and have difficulty in changing diapers, etc.

4. Abnormal reflexes: A normal child will have a hugging reflex when his head suddenly lowers (like a startled expression), which usually disappears after 6 months, but not in children with cerebral palsy. There are various other reflex abnormalities.

Simply put, cerebral palsy is a paralysis-like symptom caused by brain damage. When the infant's brain is not yet fully developed, if it is damaged by ischemia or hypoxia, it will cause brain damage and lead to motor dysfunction. Children with cerebral palsy will have varying degrees of motor dysfunction. Some children are limp all over and cannot sit or stand; some children have tight and stiff muscles and cannot walk. Children with tense and stiff muscles all over their body are the main symptom of cerebral palsy.

How to treat cerebral palsy in premature babies

At present, the treatment technology for cerebral palsy of premature infants in China has also had long-term technical exchanges with international academic research. At present, it is a comprehensive treatment with drug-assisted therapy, physical therapy, and physical rehabilitation training as the main treatment methods.

First, symptomatic treatment is provided through drug treatment of cerebral palsy. In infancy, some neurotrophic drugs such as glutamate, cerebrolysin, and cerebrolysin can be used as an auxiliary. Once the lesions are fixed, these drugs will not work. Some muscle relaxants such as baclofen can be used. However, these drugs cannot be used for a long time to avoid adverse reactions such as reduced motor ability and accumulation of drug toxicity.

Secondly, rehabilitation training should be provided to children. Rehabilitation training is the most important treatment method for patients with cerebral palsy, and it is especially important in early treatment. Through rehabilitation training, the brain tissue can continue to mature and differentiate, so that the function of the damaged part can be compensated, thereby improving the motor function of the child.

Next, Chinese medicine treatment: The main treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine are acupuncture and massage.

Finally, surgical treatment plays an important role in the clinical treatment of children with cerebral palsy. Especially when various non-surgical treatments are ineffective, surgery becomes an important means. Surgery is divided into two categories: neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery.