Analysis of a Familys Diversity

Trisha Wisniewski
SW 3110
Friday, June 13, y
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Analysis of a Familys Diversity
Introduction
Cerebral palsy is a physical disability which affects movement and is caused due to roup
of disorders! This physical disability is permanent for the entire life span and does not chane in
severity with ae! The prime reason of cerebral palsy is because of an in"ury to the child before
birth upon the developin brain of the child!
The level of cerebral palsy can be varyin as it can be mild which involves a sliht
disruption in the physical body causin sliht hamperin in daily movement or to a hiher deree
disability affectin the movement and participation of the person in daily life activities! The
lobal rate of cerebral palsy is # out of every $%% births in the world!
Discussion
&riination of Cerebral 'alsy
The oriination of cerebral palsy is not credited to only one reat mind( but multiple
notable philanthropists are credited for identifyin the disabilities concerned with cerebral palsy!
Dr! William )ohn *ittle was the first person to pioneer the dianosis of cerebral palsy who
himself was a victim of disability since childhood! Dr! William was prone to multiple illnesses
like measles( mumps( and whoopin couh alon with polio which developed his interest in
medicine!
In the late #+,%s( he had beun his work upon this topic althouh unnamed- his research
of #+$, titled .&n the /ature and Treatment of the deformities of the human Frame0 established
the base studies for cerebral palsy! 1is paper of #+2# further claimed the reasons of cerebral
,
palsy where he defined abnormal forms of labor as the prime reason for damaes upon a child!
1is work was later defined as the type today known as spastic cerebral palsy( which occurs due
to abnormal labor( and to a child that suffocates in the womb in this case 3Accardo( #4+45!
Important 6vents
As defined( the first sinificant event was the work of Dr! Williams who defined spastic
cerebral palsy as the first of forms and stated the reasons of abnormal labor causin suffocation
to the child! The immediate follower of Dr! William )ohn *ittle was 7ir William &sler who
further elaborated the works of Dr! little and wrote his first book upon the disabilities of cerebral
palsy! 1e is also credited for crownin this disability the name of cerebral palsy! The book
written by 7ir &sler was titled .The Cerebral 'alsies of Children!0
In his book( he further elaborated various other forms of impairments of cerebral palsy! In
his book( he introduced various case studies not only definin the symptoms but also the ma"or
reasons behind cerebral palsy! 1is recommendations were to properly treat the patients for hopes
of a better life styles 3Canale( #4+45!
Another valuable personality who is credited for the research and oriination of cerebral
palsy is Dr! 7imund Freud( who is also considered the father of psychoanalysis and was the one
who briefed the idea that cerebral palsy can also result because of abnormal fetal development!
Dr! Freud disareed with the theories of Dr! little and stated that birth asphy8ia is not the only
reason- as many children with this illness do not possess cerebral palsy!
Freuds analysis were correct as he was a neuroloist and stated that the cause of cerebral
palsy was before the birth- his idea were accepted by the medical community after a decade of
publications of his research practically provin that birth asphy8ia contributed to only #%9 of the
:
cerebral palsys and the rest was dominated because of neural damaes before the brain
developed in the womb! Dr! Freud is also the one who "oined multiple brain impairments with
cerebral palsy namin them infantile cerebral palsy 3;inin et! Al! #4<25!
=inor contributors
The base stones of research in the field of cerebral palsy were established by these three
individuals mainly- later what followed was amendments and further research based upon latest
medical technoloies! 1owever( few notable contributions were made by 'residents of >nited
7tates of America to secure the rihts of the roups!
In the year #42,( 'resident )ohn F! ?ennedy pioneered to preserve the rihts for the
disabled roup by sinin the community =ental 1ealth Act( this mental health act discouraed
institutionali@ation and promoted community based health care for disables! 7imilarly( in the year
#44%( the 'resident Aeore W! 1! Bush passed the Americans with Disabilities Act( which
prohibited employers from nelectin employees on the basis of their physical impairments and
disabilities!
&ther philanthropists who contributed for the cause of cerebral palsy was =arie ?illilea
who wrote a novel named . ?aren0 upon the life of her dauhter who was a victim of cerebral
palsy( this novel topped the /ew Cork charts as the best seller in the year #4$2! *ater 6thel
1ausman( )ack 1ausman( Isabelle Aoldenson( and *eonard Aoldenson who were industry iants
in their respective fields had children with cerebral palsy and established communities and
orani@ations to protect the ones with physical disabilities of cerebral palsy! This orani@ation
later was named >nited Cerebral 'alsy Association 3>C'5 3Inram( #4225!
$
Current developments in cerebral 'alsy
The round of research upon cerebral palsy was established by the pioneers- however(
even the dianose of the cause of cerebral palsy then main problem associated with the medical
units all over the world was to how to prevent cerebral palsy in children as it happens before
birth and cannot be properly identified!
Decent researches have provided sufficient evidence to cater the disabilities of cerebral
palsy( which include the research upon the use of polysaccharides in order to prevent the
formation of barrier of lial to nerve rowth after in"ury( research and e8perimentation upon the
brain cells in tissue for cultures( reaction chane of neurons at various staes of development are
recorded to identify the issues are some of the onoin researches 37chwart@( et! Al( #4445!
Interview
I had the pleasure of interviewin )uliet( an eiht year old irl who is livin with cerebral
palsy! =ost of her answers were provided to me by her mother- Carla! )uliets birth was not
complicated nor was it traumatic in nature!
When asked about how they feel in reards to the personal treatment of her dauhter in
liht of the history of cerebral palsy! Carla feels that she is viewed by other children and adults
"ust as any other irl of her ae! 7ociety sometimes e8pect her to be at a certain maturity level
and social level because she looks Enormal!0 7he feels that this occurs mainly because her
cerebral palsy is not that noticeable and many people are not e8perienced in the medical
condition! )uliets cerebral palsy mainly affects the left side of her body! For certain thins( she
is not a typical 4 year old! )uliet is socially delayed and physically she is slower then her peers(
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mainly because of her tihtness and has limited use of her left hand! The children in her class are
reat- no one has ever made fun of her! =ost well ask Fuestions about it!
When asked how her function as a transmitter of cultural values in relation to cerebral
palsy! Carla responded that she knows that their valves would not chane! 7ome of the valves
that are bein passed down are not necessary cultural in nature but more dynamic and hold
meanin to the family unit! They share that the most important thin is probably preached about
more than anythin( if she did not have this disability would be acceptance! Acceptin people for
who they are( not what they look like( or what they are limited too!
It is believed that because )uliet and Carla have each other( it is the motherGdauhter bond
that holds them toether! )uliet is Fuite aware of the manitude of her disability( she is "ust
startin to notice her EdifferencesE and she knows she has cerebral palsy! Carla states that oin
throuh this "ourney has made her a whole different person- she has learned a new lanuae and
was introduced to a whole new world! )uliet is incredible and deals with so many thins that it is
normal for her!
Within the education system( )uliet is mainstreamed with the use of inclusive teachin
practices! The use of a resource room teacher for math and readin are available to her! 7he
takes modified tests with her resource room teacher! )uliet is delayed about 2 rade levels for
math and readin but is catchin up with readin- math is very difficult for her because of her
short term memory and bein able to recall information and apply it! 7he has an annual I6'
where we o over her needs for the school year! 1er school has been very accommodatin!
Implications of social work
<
The micro level of social work involves the person! 7ome of the implication and
limitations are physical in nature when dealin with cerebral palsy! These limitations affect the
motor( sensory and conitive systems! At the me@@o level( the family and community are
included! Negative stigmata towards the disability including lack of support within the family
and community; such as that of the educational system can be detrimental to the development of
the person. The macro level incorporate the systems and policies that are in place. These can be
environmental such as that of buildings that are not equipped for the disable or lack of
technology in the system which can limit the mobility of people living with cerebral palsy.
7ummary
Cerebral palsy is a physical disability which restricts the movement of the human body!
As with )uliet( it is only affectin her left side! This disability is incurred by children as a
conseFuence of damae upon the brain even before the brain is formed in the womb! As in the
case of )uliet because there was not trauma durin labor or after it is believed that her disability
is because of somethin that happened in utero! The pioneers in the field of cerebral palsy are
Dr! William little who introduced the idea of disability amonst children! *ater( 7ir William
&sler defined the concept of cerebral 'alsy and the true symptoms were identified by Dr! Freud!
The identification of symptoms and core reasons behind the disabilities were identified
centuries ao( but the problem of curin it and dianosin it at early aes was not possible with
the technoloy of that time! 1owever the recent research and technoloy have provided the
medical world with tools to identify the tissues need to be tareted to prevent cerebral palsy! In
addition to physical and occupational therapy( the disability can be lessor- however( it will never
be cured! With the use of drus such as Boto8( the tihtness of the muscles can the lessened!
+
The story of )uliet is similar to the information read in the literature! From a very early
ae( both were told that they would need to find means to cope with their disability and the
parents became advocates in the process 3Appleby( Colon H 1amilton( 2%##5!
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Deferences
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