Ada’s story- cerebral palsy therapy

Cerebral palsy – what is the disease?

Cerebral palsy is a rather broad term for conditions related to brain dysfunction in children that is, among other things, the result of a history of ischemia or hypoxia, as well as trauma.
The result of a history of ischemia or hypoxia, as well as trauma.
The common element is mobility problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are related to the loss of brain tissue and can vary depending on the specific case.
Most often, however, parents notice abnormalities in their child’s development.
Treatment of cerebral palsy is symptomatic, individually selected, but is based in particular on intensive rehabilitation, which, combined with the plasticity of the child’s brain, is able to achieve the best results.

How did Ada’s story begin?

Ada at birth received 10 points on the Apgar scale.
The pregnancy also proceeded without complications.
Initially, the parents did not notice anything worrying.
Around 6.
Month of the girl’s life, however, the first symptoms began to appear.
Parents particularly noticed that Ada had problems with grasping with her right hand.
In the course of diagnostics and a transcerebral ultrasound performed, it turned out that lesions in the girl’s brain were present.
Their etiology was most likely ischemic in nature.
This means that Ada suffered a stroke in the first weeks or months of life.
As a result, she developed symptoms of cerebral palsy.
The most problematic symptom related to the disease turned out to be problems with precise movements of the right hand.
In addition, Ada also had problems with walking or speech.

Ada’s treatment

The parents, seeing problems with the girl’s normal development, decided to find an effective therapy and treatment.
The chance to improve the child’s condition turned out to be the umbilical cord blood banked at birth and the stem cells derived from it.
The parents found a leading center for stem cell transplantation and research related to its use operating at Duke Univeristy.
In cooperation with PBKM, the Parents contacted the doctors, the banked material was sent to the US, and the then 2-year-old Ada and her Parents traveled to the Clinic.
There, after a one-day examination and medical interview, the girl had her own stem cells derived from cord blood transplanted.
No special preparation was necessary for the child.
The procedure went without complications, and the girl was able to leave the hospital the same day.

Effects of stem cell therapy

The parents noticed the first effects of stem cell therapy in Ada a few days after the transplant.
The girl opened a cabinet independently with her right hand, which was previously completely inoperable.
For the Parents, the effect of stem cell treatment combined with regular rehabilitation has been spectacular.
The girl attends kindergarten, plays with her peers, and the changes caused by her stroke do not significantly affect her daily functioning.

Stem cells and cerebral palsy

A team of researchers at Duke Univeristy, where the transplant was performed on Ada, led by Joanne Kurtzberg, is constantly discovering and searching for the most optimal and effective way to use stem cells in the treatment of cerebral palsy.
In the studies published so far, specialists point out the effects of the therapy in terms of improved motor functions in patients compared to classical therapies.
Besides, it is extremely important that in the case of cerebral palsy even the smallest effects of treatment are very important and noticeable by Parents.
Thanks to them, the child is able to grasp an object or squeeze his hand independently.
The improvement of the condition of a child with cerebral palsy consists of many factors, such as the initial condition, good and careful rehabilitation, but also the latest therapies, among them treatment using the child’s own stem cells from cord blood and umbilical cord.
The chance to collect the material is once in a lifetime, at birth.
It is not worth wasting it.