Post NICU - Physiotheraphy sessions
- Jun 19, 2022
- 2 min read
Highly recommended follow up sessions by our NICU doctors.
Cerebral Palsy is an abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain. It is one of the high risks for a preemie baby mainly because their brain development is interrupted or their brain is damaged by early birth.
Cerebral means cerebrum of the brain and palsy means paralysis/involuntary movement. CP is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture.* Physiotherapy sessions aim to track your preemie baby's physical developmental milestones per her corrected age and take action where necessary. Improper muscle development is one of the higher risks comes with being a preemie. Hence, milestones require close follow up as early diagnosis/treatment is game changer.
As D. had IVH grade 1 (Intraventricular hemorrhage as know as brain bleeding), I was worried that she might eventually had Cerebral Palsy. From the first moment in NICU, I observed her every single movement so carefully to be able to tell if she had any muscle dysfunction. When she was in NICU, she did have shakes in her body and sudden twitches, I would freak out and ask the nurses everyday. After getting the same response from a dozen different nurses, I was convinced that they were all normal and a part of the process. D. was categorized an extremely premature baby and her nervous system was still developing outside my womb which caused the shakes and twitches in her body.
I read so much about Cerebral Palsy during NICU and post NICU period. Thing is it is impossible for your doctor to be able to tell you that your baby has it or does not have it. Do not expect a definite answer from your doctor. It is one of those disorders that you find out over time as your baby grows and achieve her milestones or fail to thrive. Physical therapy sessions are there for you to track her development in a more educated manner.
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