Explained: Cerebral Palsy, the condition that led to Satya Nadella’s son’s demise

Many children across the world are born with this most common motor disability that affects brain development or causes damage to the developing brain.

Hyderabad: Microsoft Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satya Nadella’s son, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, died on Tuesday at the age of 26.

Many children across the world are born with this most common motor disability that affects brain development or causes damage to the developing brain.

While Cerebral means brain, Palsy refers to the weakness in muscle and immobility of the same. It is a group of disorders that affects the movement of muscles in the body and postures. The condition leads to abnormalities in hearing, visual disturbances, and movement disorders among other complications.

The condition does not get worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person’s lifetime. This is a non-progressive disease of the brain and it usually happens before a child is born, but it can also occur at birth or in early infancy (first three years).

According to a recent population-based study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cerebral Palsy ranges from one to nearly four per 1,000 live births or per 1,000 children. The same data suggests that Cerebral Palsy is said to be higher for children born preterm or at low birthweight, whereas, in some parts of the world, there is evidence that the prevalence of Palsy has declined, particularly for children born at moderately or very low birth weight.

What are the symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

People suffering from Cerebral Palsy have movement and posture-related problems. However, symptoms are not the same for everyone. It depends on the severity of brain damage. Some of them may have trouble with impaired cognitive ability, vision, hearing, or speech and spine and joint-related problems.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a syndrome or combination of symptoms and signs with no obvious known causes for its occurrence. At times, it could develop due to certain medical conditions that the mother might be suffering from. It hinders the development and production of neurons in the child’s brain. According to doctors, it could also be caused by the mother’s lifestyle choices such as heavy alcohol use, drug use, or smoking, or can be linked to other medical conditions.

Treatment

There is no cure for Cerebral Palsy. However, supportive treatments, medications, and surgery can help many individuals improve their motor skills and ability to communicate with the world. A therapy can significantly help in overcoming the disability associated with the disease. Some of the therapies include speech or swallow therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy. Those who suffer from severe spastic movements are treated with Botulinum toxin, more commonly known as Botox.

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