Management of spasticity in children with brain disorders
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood.
Population-based studies from around the world report prevalence estimates of CP ranging from 1.5 to more than 4 per 1,000 live births or children of a defined age range.
The impact of spasticity and co-existing motor disorders and their early musculoskeletal complications on the child or young person varies. Common problems include impaired motor function affecting the person's ability to participate in society, pain from muscle spasms, motor developmental delay and difficulties with daily care due to the onset of secondary complications of spasticity. Management should be tailored to meet the problems faced by the individual child or young person and their individual goals.
There is considerable variation in practice in managing spasticity, including variation in the availability of treatments and the intensity of their use. This guideline will help healthcare professionals to select and use appropriate treatments for individual children and young people.
This guideline covers a vast range of topics dealing with management of spasticity, from enhancing motor function to prevention and treatment of contractures, gait stimulatiom, stretching, use of orthoses, and involvement of a medical team. This guideline is updated every 2 years, to incorporate new evidence and practices.
> From: NICE Clinical guideline, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2015) . All rights reserved to NICE. Click here for the Pubmed summary.
