Skip to main content

Neuroplasticity - Exercise for Your Child's Brain


cent technology has drastically increased the power of treatments and therapies for children with cerebral palsy. Previous research focused treatment on the muscular and skeletal systems of the body, aiming to increase range of motion and motor function in general. However, new data suggests that treatments are available that improve these areas as well as overall body and mental development. Modern medical research into the area of neuroplasticity is arguably one of the most promising areas of research for treating children with cerebral palsy.

What is Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity describes how the brain can adapt to dramatic changes or injuries. Your brain works with a network of over 100 billion neurons that are nearly all connected with one another. Imagine a highway filled with cars; if an accident occurs on the road, the cars in the lane of the accident can merge into a new lane to continue onto their destination. The brain can behave similarly - damage to brain pathways can instruct brain neurons to reroute and create new pathways.

New research in this area can wield promising results for children with cerebral palsy. When damage to the brain results in cerebral palsy, there is a chance that the brain will form a new pathway, which can circumvent the damage and restore functionality to the affected area. This is more likely to happen in milder cases of cerebral palsy, but it is not entirely out of the question for severe cases (though it may take longer to occur). Activities such as exercise, education, interacting with others and cognitive remediation can increase the likelihood of these new pathways being formed. On the other hand, loss of sleep, bad nutrition and anxiety can serve to hinder their development.

Exercise is good for the brain
We all know physical activity is good for our bodies, but it can be good for our minds, as well. An article published in 2008, exercise can improve mood, cognition, processing and learning capability. However, such activity shouldn't be strenuous - intensive physical activity might cause more stress and tension than it relieves. Nevertheless, exercise has shown to be one of the best activities for rebuilding brain connections.

There are many ways you can step in to help your child get the most out of physical activities. Keeping the activity consistent and routine ensures that progress is being made. This can be much easier to achieve if you have a specific therapist to work with during each session. Aside from physical therapy sessions, consider incorporating physical activity into your child's playtime. If you can, take part in t
a

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wheelchair-Accessible Vans

rents of non-ambulatory children understand that the day will come when it is no longer practical or possible to use a car seat to transport your child and a wheelchair accessible vehicle may become necessary. Choosing the right vehicle may seem like a daunting task. Here are some tips and things to consider. Any van outfitted to transport wheelchair bound passengers is called a "conversion van." They can be a full size van or a mini-van. When beginning your search, keep good notes that should include an ongoing list of needs. The number one concern has to be the safety of your child, not only in normal transport, but also in the event of an accident. Some of the things you will need to consider include head clearance, the type of lift or ramp, the age of the vehicle and the type of system used to anchor the wheelchair. Do you want to buy new or used? Do you want a pre-fitted vehicle or do you want to have it completely custom fitted to your needs. How much is all this goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Incontinence Issues for Children With Cerebral Palsy

el and bladder control is an important part of any child's learning and development, and a child with cerebral palsy is no different. CP children in particular often have difficulty with bowel and bladder control, since these functions require well developed muscle tone and coordination. Conquering these issues can be a monumental occasion for children with cerebral palsy. Children with developmental disorders receive toilet training by age five, whereas most children can achieve continence before age three, according to a study conducted in 2006. The study went on to discuss how continence is unlikely to occur after a child with developmental disorders reaches age 8. Thankfully, there are a variety of products to help children with incontinence, including collection devices. In fact, some studies suggest that medication combined with a collection device can prove successful for older children with incontinence issues. Different types of incontinence Incontinence can be brok...
Post a Comment
Read more

How Does 3D AOI Increase Manufacturing Quality?

OI and Manufacturing Quality PCB suppliers in the automotive space are vastly accelerating their time to market by using automated optical inspection (AOI) systems during PCB assembly. However, this next-generation technique is not limited in scope to the automotive industry - it has powerful implications for the entire PCB industry. What is 3D AOI? To best understand the benefits that 3D AOI offers, it's useful to compare it to its predecessor, 2D AOI. In the past, automated optical inspection processes allowed electronics manufacturers to identify workmanship defects and other issues during the final stages of PCB assembly. In a typical AOI setting, a top-mounted camera takes precisely measured photographs of finished circuit boards and compares the results to a highly detailed schematic file. Parameter differences that pass a certain threshold get flagged, and a human operator inspects the product in question. The upshot of this process is that human operators no longer ...
Post a Comment
Read more