FAQs

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a permanent disorder of posture and movement resulting from brain damage occurring in the baby or young child before, during or after birth.

Children with cerebral palsy often experience additional difficulties affecting vision, speech, hearing and learning. They may also suffer from epilepsy. Due to impaired movement a child with cerebral palsy may find it difficult to explore their surroundings and learn basic life skills as quickly and in the same way as unaffected children. Aspects of digestion can be problematic causing swallowing difficulties, sickness and constipation. Each child is affected differently, both in the type of cerebral palsy and the severity.

Are there different types of cerebral palsy?

There are three main classifications of cerebral palsy, all of which are likely to include additional difficulties such as those outlined above:-

Spastic Cerebral Palsy is when the muscles are stiff and weak. Children who have this condition tend to hold their bodies in certain characteristic ways and have limited movement.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy causes the tone in the muscles to change quickly from floppy to stiff and makes arms, legs and body move excessively in a way that is hard for the child to control.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy affects balance and causes unsteady movement.

Is there a cure for cerebral palsy?

There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and although the damage to the brain does not worsen, the effects of the condition can become more debilitating with age.

Bobath therapy can help children and their families manage the problems that cerebral palsy presents. This can change the clinical presentation (symptoms) of the condition and increases a child’s independence and quality of life

What causes cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy results from brain damage occurring before, during birth or in the first two years of life. The damage affects the messages being received by and sent from the brain, as well as the way in which the brain interprets the messages it receives.

What is the life expectancy of a child with cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is not terminal. Each child is affected differently, both in the type of cerebral palsy and the severity. Some children with cerebral palsy have other associated conditions, such as epilepsy and respiratory complications, which can lead to a shortened life expectancy (this is only in a minority of children).

Where does Bobath therapy and the name originate from?

Bobath therapy takes its name from Dr. Karel and Mrs. Berta Bobath who pioneered the treatment during the 1940’s. While treating a painter who had suffered a stroke, Berta Bobath discovered a new method of treating spasticity which over time has been developed as a unique problem solving approach to helping children with different types of cerebral palsy. The Bobath Concept has subsequently developed into a therapy approach that is still relevant today.

What is Bobath therapy?

The main aim of Bobath therapy is to encourage and increase the child's ability to move and function in as normal a way as possible. More normal movements cannot be obtained if the child stays in a few positions and moves in a limited or disordered way. With the intervention of Bobath therapy we help the child to change their abnormal postures and movements so that they are able to comfortably adapt to the environment and develop a better quality of functional skills.

Bobath involves a trans-disciplinary approach that includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. The basis of the approach is to use specialised techniques to elicit responses that may derive from physical, aural or visual stimuli. These then create a repertoire of movement patterns that enable children to participate in daily activities. Bobath is a holistic approach involving the child’s family, local therapists and teachers who, by attending and participating in the therapy sessions, can continue good practice between treatment blocks.

How many children have cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy affects approximately one in every five hundred children born. Despite developments in maternity and paediatric care, the number of children born with cerebral palsy is not decreasing. In fact due to improvements in health care more extremely premature babies are surviving and some of these babies have more complex needs.

How many children attend your centre?

Up to 135 children aged between 8 months to 18 years, from throughout Scotland, are helped by Bobath therapy each year. Bobath therapists, patients, carers, the child and their external support network all work together to help achieve defined goals for the child during their therapy block. A key element of Bobath therapy is to train the parents and family in therapy techniques that they can easily build into their everyday routine. As a result we are indirectly helping an estimated 400 parents and siblings each year.

What difference does Bobath Therapy make to the children?

Children with cerebral palsy have a movement disorder due to abnormal muscle tone where muscles are either too stiff or too floppy. This hampers the natural development of skills such as walking, talking and writing. The Bobath concept recognises and provides a unique understanding of the many systems that influence abnormal tone, such as vision, hypersensitivity to touch, and ability to move through space. It examines how abnormal tone affects the building blocks necessary for movement, exploring ways of encouraging more natural movement patterns that can be integrated into everyday life.

With improvements to posture and movement a child may gain greater control of hand and eye movements. Even for the most severely impaired child this opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

What is the difference between Bobath Therapy and Conductive Education?

Bobath treatment is a multidisciplinary hands-on therapy approach aimed at helping a child with cerebral palsy to move and function more normally and with greater independence by utilising handling techniques that positively influence the abnormal tone and postures. Parents are shown ways in which they can incorporate these handling techniques into the regular activities of a child’s daily life (e.g. dressing, eating, moving around the house, etc). The focus in Bobath therapy is to try and reduce unwanted abnormal postures and movements as much as possible and to encourage movements and postures that are more helpful and allow for better function.

Conductive Education originated in Hungary in the 40’s and is an educational approach involving only one person (a conductor) who directs children in groups to perform activities. The child’s learning within the group setting, is supported by “rhythmic intention” (e.g. using counting, songs, and rhythmical games) to provide the child with the basis of normal movement. Conductive Education involves no or limited physical handling and children are allowed to move in any way that is possible, i.e. the focus is not on quality of movement.

Can women take a test during pregnancy to determine if their baby has cerebral palsy?

No, there are no tests.

Do children with cerebral palsy attend special schools?

Not necessarily. Many children with cerebral palsy attend main stream school and go on to university or college.

How much does Bobath Therapy cost?

Bobath provides blocks of therapy between one and six weeks based on individual need. Most children attend Bobath Scotland for an intensive six-week block of therapy. Including the cost of evaluation, a block of therapy for each child costs us £4,940 – no charges are passed to the families that we support. Each session lasts approximately 1 hour 15 minutes and while up to three therapists can be involved during sessions, more usually there are two involved. Each session costs Bobath Scotland £260 with an additional cost of £260 for the production of a DVD and report.

How much do you need to raise each year to keep the centre open?

Currently around £640,000 this year.

How do you raise the money?

We have approached individuals, a select number of grant-making charitable trusts and businesses, and we run a well-established programme of annual fundraising events. We encourage individuals, including the parents and children whom we help, to fundraise on our behalf.

Do you receive funding from the NHS?

While some NHS Health Boards offer a contribution towards therapy costs the majority of our income (75%) is derived from our own fundraising efforts.

Do you receive government funding?

Bobath receives approximately £6,500 per annum from the Scottish Executive but no funding from local governments. Statutory income is restricted to the contributions made by some NHS Health Boards.