New technologies are being developed all the time. Some only increase the level of convenience in our lives, but others fundamentally change lives.
For people with cerebral palsy, technology is sometimes one of the most important factors in determining how much treatments help them deal with the symptoms of their condition over the course of their lives. Improving technology almost always means improving treatments.
Muscles and Electricity
The electrical nature of the nervous system is well understood. One of the most debilitating features of cerebral palsy is the way it prevents sufferers from enjoying full control over their muscles. Using electricity, doctors have had some success at causing people’s muscles to release and at evening out muscle tone. Some of these devices can stop a CP sufferer’s muscles from pulling their foot off center, for instance, allowing the sufferer to walk more comfortably and with greater agility.
Computers
Computer technology has already helped CP sufferers in many ways and continues to do so. Chat rooms and other socializing technologies, for instance, enable some CP sufferers to get a lot more time with friends than their conditions might allow them otherwise. Computers can do far more than this, however.
Games have been developed for tablet computers that allow CP sufferers to build their muscle coordination. These games usually flash colors in a given pattern on the screen and ask the person to replicate the pattern or offer some other challenge. This can turn these computers into portable therapy devices.
More on the Horizon
Many other technologies are being developed. One technology that is much better than it used to be is scanning technology. This doesn’t help with the treatment of cerebral palsy, but it offers a lot in the way of early detection. The sooner a child is diagnosed with CP, the faster treatments can begin and the more useful they will likely be in the end.
Any treatment for cerebral palsy can be very expensive. In some cases, cerebral palsy is not caused by unavoidable natural causes but, rather, is caused directly by medical malpractice. In such cases, families should speak with an attorney about filing a lawsuit. A cerebral palsy lawyer may be able to successfully argue a lawsuit over your child’s birth injuries. In some cases, this means that you and your child may receive a large settlement or award and be able to pay for the most advanced treatments.