Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study sought to determine if the dental and oro-facial complex of cerebral palsied patients is different from that of the non-cerebral palsied. Twenty-six cerebral palsied patients between the ages of seven and 18 were examined. A history was taken and a data sheet was completed to record molar and cuspid relationships. The function of. the tongue and lips during swallow was also recorded. Cephalometric and hand and wrist radiographs were taken of each patient. The cephalometric measurements were statistically compared with the normative data of a non-cerebral palsied group. This analysis revealed the cranial flexure angle to be more acute and the gonial angle to be more obtuse. Comparison of the hand and wrist plates with normal standards did not show wide enough differences to conclude that cerebral palsied patients' skeletal age deviates from the chronological age. Although there was a difference in some cephalometric measurements, there is no evidence in this study to show that the incidence of malocclusion and the incidence of factors that contribute to malocclusion are found with greater frequency among cerebral palsied patients.

Abnormality in the formation of the brain causes a motor disorder called cerebral palsy. Due to this, children with cerebral palsy experience a disruption in growth and development along with permanent health issues they will face for the rest of their life. Thus, these children suffer from impaired chronic motor, seizures, and communicative disorders. Many children with cerebral palsy require a caregiver to help take care of their personal needs. The severity of cerebral palsy directly correlates with the required assistance; as the severity increases, so do the roles of the caregiver. Research demonstrates that many patients came from low-income families. Surveys conducted on the parents or caregivers found that the responsibilities of taking care of a child with cerebral palsy have impacted them personally. These impacts have resulted in negative or inefficient treatment. Studies have indicated that cerebral palsy can have a negative impact on oral health. Brushing the teeth of patients can be difficult as some have a biting reflex; consequently, sometimes caregivers will skip brushing the child’s teeth at night. Many of the studies analyzed concluded that as the severity of the cerebral palsy increased, the amount of dental caries found increased. Due to their inability to properly swallow and breathe simultaneously, some children cannot digest solid foods. Instead, their dietary intake must be liquefied to improve digestion and avoid the chance of aspiration. This makes it difficult for caretakers to identify how much sugar is in the food they consume. Some research has found a significant amount of sugar in their food; therefore, in addition to the occasionally or routinely skipped oral hygiene steps, high sugar dietary intake has been a proposed reason for the increase in dental caries observed in patients with cerebral palsy. This is an important issue that needs to be faced as children with cerebral palsy often cannot correctly communicate what problems they have to the dentist, leaving them in pain and discomfort. It has also been discovered that their diets have caused nutrient deficiencies, one of them being vitamin D which is crucial to bone and tooth health. Future research should focus on the malnutrition that children may suffer from and the preventable measures that caregivers should take. Not only does research need to be done, but dental education needs to be addressed. Dental students must be educated in how to treat patients with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy, and provide more knowledge on how to assist caregivers in easing the process for them and the child. There have been numerous reports of unprofessional practices that have dehumanized children with cerebral palsy. This study addresses this issue by bringing awareness to the reality many of these children face.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University

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Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

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Cerebral palsy is an occurrence in which the nerves and muscles if the body may function properly, but there is damage to the brain that causes it to transmit incorrect electrical impulses to the muscles including both too many and too few signals. Without the correct cohesive electrical impulses to balance the opposing muscles of a joint, normal everyday tasks that most of us take for granted become very difficult to learn and perform. As exoskeletons become more advanced and practical, their applications have a lot of room for growth. Cerebral Palsy is one portion of the medical field that can benefit from the development of exoskeletons. As demonstrated with modern rehabilitation techniques, the application of an exoskeleton has the possibility of making the learning process and performance of many tasks easier and faster for both the patient as well as the doctor working with them. However, in order to appropriately apply the technology to the need, many changes in both the controls and the actual physical design of current devices need to be addressed. An exoskeleton for the purpose of helping cerebral palsy patients learn to walk is not limited to one specific form depending on the complexity of the tasks it is desired to assist with. However, there are a couple needs of this type of exoskeleton that are absolutely necessary. The size of the exoskeleton must be designed around the size of a child and not an adult. If the individual is learning to walk from the very beginning, the controls of the device will need to initially be able to take complete control over the individual's limbs to exercise the motions of walking. With the nature of an exoskeleton controlling the limbs of a person instead of simply assisting with current movements, the physical attachments of the exoskeleton must be improved from current designs in order to make movements of the exoskeleton and the body more parallel. Other features such as different muscle sensing techniques may also improve performance, but are not required. An exoskeleton that can help cerebral palsy patients learn to walk can also be applied to many other rehabilitation needs. / Master of Science

Despite the popularity of home program interventions there is little evidence to demonstrate effectiveness, particularly when an explicit family centred framework is adopted. This single-group pre-post design study evaluates the impact of a standardised occupational therapy home program implemented with a group of 20 children (2-7 years, mean age 3.8)with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The study measured the effect of the program using: goal attainment scaling(GAS);pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI); and quality of upper extremity test(QUEST). In addition, parent participation intensity was measured through a home program log. The use of a standardised occupational therapy home program for children with cerebral palsy is recommended as an effective method to achieve therapy goals. Further research using more rigorous designs is required to fully explore treatment efficacy. / Master of Science (Hons.)

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.