The Benefits of Visiting a Chiropractor Regularly

Three Types Of Alternative Treatments For Children With Cerebral Palsy

by Chloe Dean

Does your child have cerebral palsy and you are seeking other forms of therapy to help your child? Here are three types of alternative treatments for children with cerebral palsy.

Chiropractic Care

A chiropractor (such as one from Lincoln Chiropractic Center) treats disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. Through spinal adjustments, they help patients acquire a healthy nervous system. The brain communicates to the rest of the body through the nervous system. Spinal adjustments help to remove interference from the brain to the nervous system, improving communication between the brain and the muscles. When the muscles get the right messages, stiffness, spasticity, and pain can be reduced.

Other areas of improvement for children with cerebral palsy receiving chiropractic care include:

  • better sleep,
  • decreased instances of scoliosis
  • less neck and back problems

Music Therapy

If you wish for your child to improve in areas of fine motor skills, cognition, and comprehension, music therapy can be of great benefit. Music therapy has been a proven way to improve these areas for children with cerebral palsy through singing, listening to music, creating music, and play various instruments. Research has shown music therapy can help children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities in the following ways:

  • helps facilitate increased movement
  • provides avenues of communication
  • provides a way to express feelings
  • improves overall physical rehabilitation

Besides all of the great benefits music therapy can provide for your child, it will also allow them to have lots of fun.

Essential Oils

If your child experiences painful muscle spasms that is sometimes associated with spastic types of cerebral palsy, you might want to try essential oils to help give your child relief. It's important to note that not just any essential oil will do. Just as there are different types of medications to alleviate certain symptoms, there are certain oils for specific ailments. For muscle spasms, recommended essential oils include:

  • Sweet basil
  • Lavender
  • Marjoram
  • Roman Chamomile
  • Peppermint

When using essential oils to help treat muscle spasms, add a few drops into a carrier oil and apply it topically to the muscles with a light massage. Because you typically don't want to apply the essential oils at full strength, it is best to dilute it in a carrier oil. The best types of carrier oils for massage include grapeseed, avocado, and hemp seed oil.

There is no cure for cerebral palsy but by adding these alternative types of treatments to your child's care, you can greatly improve their quality of life.

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