Static Encephalopathy

This article is in question and aswer form to give parents a basic understanding of what static encephalopathy (SE) is. There is a general definition of SE. SE does not get worse, but does not always mean that the child will get better. There is some room for improvement, but usually with some limit to their development. In the breakdown of the words, static means permanent or unchanging, encephalo means brain, and opathy means damage. In all it means unchanging brain damage. SE is only in the brain and no where else in teh body.

Symptoms depend upon the individual. If the part of the brain that controls the muscles is affected it is often called cerebral palsy because teh way the person moves with their muscles is not normal. If the speech area is affected, the child may have trouble learning to talk or understanding speech, and could possibly be a degree of mental retardation. Seizures may occur due to irregulartiy in the electrical waves in the brain. If vision and hearing are impaired in teh brain, the yes and ears may work properly, but the signals do not compute properly in the brain.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a form of SE, but SE is not always mean CP. If SE affects different parts of the brain ohter than where it controls the muscles, then it is not CP because there is no impairment of the muscular function. In SE a child can sometimes learn a motor movement overtime. In CP they cannot, it is an abnormal movement all the time and cannot be fixed.

In diagnosing SE a medical history, initial tests, and a series of many otehr tests can help the disorder be diagnosed. Tests must be run to make sure the disorder originates in teh brain and not anywhere else in teh body. If it comes from anywhere else, it is not SE. Tests are taken over time to make sure the abnormalities are not getting worse.

Many tests can be done to diagnose someone with SE including:

• EEG- to measure electrical activity. Seizures can sometimes been seen on an EEG. EEGs are not the most effective tests because there are many flaws in the way the machine receives and spits out information.
• CT or MRI- to look at what the brain looks like. This is only a measure of what the brain looks like, not how the brain works. They can possible provide excellent info on what area of the brain is being affected. Sometimes there are abnormalities in the brain even if the person is normal. These tests are not always accurate because they are just pictures and cannot tell us anything about how the brain is functioning.
• Blood and Urine Tests- for genetic problems. Abnormal chromosomes are not always the reason or cause of SE. It is important to obtain a medical history from both sides of the family. Mother or father may be a carrier but exhibit not signs or symptoms. Being a carrier of a genetic disorder can affect multiple generations.
• Vision and Hearing- sometimes vision and hearing can be regained or relearned
• Muscle and nerve tests- if there is an abnormal amount of muscle enzymes in the blood, this can mean it is a muscle disorder such as muscualr dystrophy. Nerve conduction velocity can be done to see how fast teh nerves travel from teh brain to the muscles. Biopsies are also done to test for diseases.

The cause of SE varies from person to person. Trauma to the head, bleeding in teh brain, birth defects, infections, lack of oxygen, and a difficult labor are common obvious causes. Most of teh time the cause is unknown.

There are many methods to treat SE including:

• Medication- to control certain features of SE like seizures, short attention span, and hyperactivity. Meds should be carefully monitored and on an individual basis.
• Therapy- physical, occupational, and speech therapists are often used to help people with everday functioning activities.
• Teachers- can help young children how to cope with the sensations of everyday life that kids will experience in school. Special education programs are also a help to some kids.
• Surgery-is extremely individualized and depends on the situation.
• Vision and hearing- glasses and hearing aids can help in some cases, but not all.
• Nutrition, medical and dental care- regualr health care as well as specialized health care is needed. General check ups are necessary.
• Counseling- can help child cope with feelings of being different, and increase their feeling of self worth and socical interactions.

Not all children with SE are handicapped. Everyone with SE is disabled, but not necessarily handicapped because they are still able to live a normal life. All of the information given in teh article should be used to guide further research of SE.

I would use this article in my argument about ASHLEY X becuase it talks about children with SE don’t necessarily get worse, but they can improve and still learn new things. This would make the actions that Ashley’s parents took unethical because there was always room for improvement. Her parents physically impaired her so that she would not have any room for improvement, physically or mentally.

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