Hypoplasia of the cerebellum: causes, symptoms and treatment

Nobody is immune from the appearance of any disease. But in some cases, the ailment begins to develop in the womb of the mother and the child from the birth reveals different pathologies of development. One of these diseases is cerebellar hypoplasia - a disease that affects the child's brain.

Description

The cerebellum is the part of the brain that is in the posterior region and is an important constituent of the central nervous system. This body is responsible for the coordination of human movements, muscle tone and ability to keep balance. Hypoplasia of the cerebellum worm is accompanied by a decrease in one or two of its lobes.

Causes

Hypoplasia of the cerebellum in an adult is a consequence of inappropriate intrauterine development, and the causes of this disease lie in the way of life of a pregnant woman. There are several main factors that can provoke the disease.

• Alcohol consumption.

The most dangerous substance in the composition of alcoholic beverages is ethanol. With prolonged exposure, it penetrates into the central nervous system of the fetus and provokes the formation of various kinds of tumors. Also, ethyl alcohol is capable of destroying the natural barrier that protects the central nervous system from infections that enter the body through the blood. In general, the abuse of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy puts the fetus at great risk.

• Smoking.

Contrary to popular belief, the negative effect on the fetus is not on nicotine, but on other toxic substances that make up cigarettes. They can cause the wrong formation of the neural tube, and therefore, the spinal cord and brain of the fetus. When smoking during pregnancy, hypoplasia of the cerebellum is recorded quite often.

• Drug use.

Drugs can affect the nervous system of both a pregnant woman and a child, so their use is strictly prohibited in all cases. Such substances cause irreversible damage to the body, which ultimately leads to a lethal outcome.

• Reception of strong medicines.

Many drugs are prohibited for use during pregnancy. Their reception is appointed only in case of serious necessity. Against the backdrop of aggressive medication, hypoplasia of the cerebellum in the fetus can develop.

• Impact of radiation.

Radioactive isotopes have the property of accumulating in the amniotic fluid and the placenta, which can lead to a mutation of the child's DNA. Irradiation or prolonged exposure in places with elevated levels of radiation is fraught with dangerous complications for the future mother and child.

• Infectious diseases.

Hypoplasia of the cerebellum can develop if the pregnant woman suffers a seemingly simple disease, like rubella. In fact, this viral illness is extremely dangerous. When infected in the first trimester, many doctors recommend aborting the pregnancy, since the risk of anomalies in the fetus is very high. In later terms, women are prescribed medication, but it is successful only in 50% of cases.

Also a huge danger is toxoplasmosis, which can be picked up by contact with sick cats, rodents and birds. This disease not only negatively affects the development of the fetus, but it can also cause a miscarriage.

In addition to all the reasons described above, it is necessary to mention separately the harmful food, which, together with other factors, can negatively affect the course of pregnancy.

Symptoms

Hypoplasia of the cerebellum worm in a child is accompanied by a violation of many functions of the body. Specialists identify the following symptoms of the disease:

• Tremor (trembling) of the head, upper and lower extremities;
• Sharp speech, that is, the child's conversations are more like a scream;
• The baby's movements lose their smoothness and become disorderly;
• Children with hypoplasia of the cerebellum develop much slower, that is, they sit, walk and talk, they begin later than their peers;
• Muscles of the trunk and extremities are shortened inconsistently - because of this, getting up or sitting down to a child becomes much more difficult;
• It is very difficult for such children to keep their balance, both in a standing and sitting position;
• Movement without any auxiliary means is almost impossible, but if a person can learn to walk on his own, his gait will be greatly distorted;
• There is also a disruption in the smooth muscles of the internal organs;
• People with cerebellar hypoplasia very often suffer from respiratory function disorders;
• Deafness or blindness is often observed in newborn children against this ailment.

The most obvious sign of cerebellar hypoplasia in a child is a shaky, swaying gait and a violation of spatial orientation. Also in children, the size of the skull is much lower than the norm, because the brain is smaller than in healthy children. As you grow up, the size, of course, increases, but the deformities of the head can still remain.

Hypoplasia of the cerebellum progresses during the first 10 years of the child's life, then its condition is stabilized and the doctors prescribe supportive therapy.

Diagnostics

Usually the disease is detected even during pregnancy through the passage of ultrasound diagnosis. Follow-up monitoring of the child is performed by a neurologist. He can prescribe treatment or rehabilitation procedures.

Treatment

Unfortunately, cerebellar hypoplasia is considered an incurable disease, and the children who are born with it rarely live to a year. All procedures that are conducted with such a child are aimed at restoring lost functions and restraining the development of the disease. The methods of therapy include:

• Exercises aimed at developing coordination;
• massage;
• For the maintenance of speech, classes are conducted with a speech therapist;
• Also with such children it is recommended to communicate as often as possible and to instill in them various hobbies, for example drawing or origami, which develop fine motor skills of the fingers.

Prevention

Prevention of the disease is the healthy way of life of the future mother. During pregnancy, you should consult a doctor before using any medications and completely eliminate alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc. from your life.

Any disease is much easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, if a woman takes proper care of herself during the bearing of a child, the risk of developing pathologies is significantly reduced.