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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/43887 |
| Date | 13 February 2022 |
| Creators | Shambayati, Ali |
| Contributors | Davies, Theresa A., Kelley, Maura |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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