During a recent post I mentioned being open to trying new things. I feel like this is an important part of how I live my life, but it is especially important to me in regards to Cecilia. With a cerebral palsy diagnosis you are told that the damage to the brain is done. It won't get any worse, you just address the symptoms, but the brain will not heal.
I think if you look at this through the eyes of a conventional doctor that is true. From my perspective I think the brain is capable of more than we understand. Why can't her little brain re-wire itself?
Cecilia's right hand has improved so dramatically since her diagnosis. She used to use her left hand almost all the time. Now she uses both hands and even uses the pincer grip with her right hand, which is the thumb and forefinger to pick up small objects. It has taken her right hand a little extra time to catch up, but it did.
My point in explaining all of this is that we recently visited, what some people might call, an alternative doctor.
She is a cranial sacral doctor which is will leave up to Wikipedia to explain to you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniosacral_therapy
She has had fifteen years of experience helping children with developmental delays. She has had a patient that was expected to never crawl or have much physical function at all and can now walk.
Yes, admittedly unusual, but everything she said to us really resonated with me. As always our trusty note-taker, my Dad, was with us. The following are some of his notes.
Discussed the MRI and how the CP diagnosis was made.
Observed that her fascia was tight
myofascial - a three-dimensional web of connective tissue that runs through the body from head to toe.
Analysis - Cecilia is collapsed on her right side. Her bio-mechanical system is not balanced. For example, she walks on the outside of her right foot and her stride does not roll through her foot as it should. When she is curling her toes, she is trying to keep her balance. There are 36 joints in a foot and a normal walk/gait has a bio-mechanical flow and chain of events. For example, her walk is affecting the normal articulation and movement of her knee, thigh, and hip. Her spiral is inhibited, which, (I think) means that things are not flowing from one harmonious movement. Any brain injury she may suffered will have zero effect on her life because her brain will repair any damage and wire around it. Once the bio-mechanical aspects are restored by her doing the actual movements, her myofascial will loosen up and the brain will figure out how to take over the new function.
Therapy Resistance training is one of the keys for her. The goal of therapy is to balance the muscles. Some pilates will be good because of the tension on the body in both parts of the exercise. Let her go without shoes. Climbing is good because of the bi-lateral movement. Things to do: tricycle - swimming - catching a ball - alternate hands when she does things - rolling her whole body on the floor. Walking in loose sand is great because it makes all the foot and leg muscles work. Every day, move her hips and legs in a circle; bring her feet up to her chest; this releases the fascia. Place her on her belly and lift her legs. Stimulate her right hand as often as possible. Avoid any CP label. Be proactive. Trust your intuition. Come back in a year when Cecilia will lay still for a few minutes.
Just having more suggestions of what we can do at home with Cecilia makes me feel really good. I will look forward to Cecilia being a little older so that we can lay her in one spot and have some voodoo magic worked on her.
