Project Giving Hope to Family of Stroke Baby
Limbs Alive, a project supported by The Children's Foundation, is using ground-breaking research in an attempt to prevent the development of hemiplegic cerebral palsy in a little girl from Blydon.
After suffering a stroke at birth, Madeline Ronson, age 5 months, is at risk of developing hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Babies who have had a stroke grow up with weakness of one side of their body called hemiplegia. It is actually very common and affects about 1 in 800 children. Left untreated, children can grow up ignoring their weak hand and often do not learn how to carry out two-handed activities, which are so important for independence. It is too late in adulthood to learn how to co-ordinate two hands if you have not done so in childhood.
The Limbs Alive project team, based at the RVI hospital and headed up by Professor Janet Eyre, already works with young children and teenagers across the region, using carefully chosen age appropriate play activities so that they learn how to use both of their hands whilst having fun.
Following recent research by Professor Eyre's team, the results have identified that babies show an interest in reaching for toys at a very early age and that if they are placed in an appropriate position, reach with the affected arm can be encouraged. By creating the optimal envirnment for development of movement on the affected side, including choice of appropriate toys, correct positioning of them and advice on where to place the child's cot or baby chair, the affected side gets maximal stimulation and the arm is then encouraged to move more effectively, thereby reducing the likelihood of them growing up using just one hand.
Professor Janet Eyre said:
"Other parts of a baby's brains are able to take over control of the arm and leg which might be affected after stroke. the really exciting thing is that this can be done simply through structured play which both the parents and child enjoy and which is part of normal life anyway.
If children with hemiplegia use both their hands frequently during play from a young age and continue to do so throughout childhood and adolescence they can become sufficiently skilful in two-handed activities to participate fully in activities in school and be independent in adulthood."
The Limbs Alive team have been working with Madeline at the RVI hospital and also visited her at home to advise her parents on how best to use baby toys, such as a baby gym, to stimulate Madeline's play.
Caroline O'Doherty, operations director of The Children's Foundation said:
"We are delighted to support this pioneering project, to ensure the Limbs Alive team continue to enhance the lives of children affected by hemiplegic cerebral palsy."
