A intervenção da terapia ocupacional na construção do potencial cognitivo em uma criança com paralisia cerebral: estudo de caso

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is characterized by a group of clinical syndromes that affect the development and child's posture, hindering their learning process. Considering these characteristics, one wonders how must be the constitution and the search for independence of a child who has no motor skills to explore the environment he/she lives. This monograph and also the paper presented approach the analysis of the potential of an occupational therapy treatment that has the objective of contributing to the process of cognitive development of a child with cerebral palsy at the age of 4 years. This research is justified because there are children with cerebral palsy who have difficulties in their cognitive development, besides motor ones, although most treatments focus on movement disorders. The researcher participated to supervision and case studies relating to the treatment of the patient mentioned and the information were recorded in a field diary. Results are presented in two sections: review and treatment proposal suggested by the occupational therapist and the child’s evolution. A large number of children with this pathology have preserved or to be built intellectual potential, considering the motor obstacles. So, treating only the motor issue does not guarantee the production of child’s intelligence. At this moment, the Occupational Therapy is one of the professions that contribute much to children and their families in creating or recreating ways of doing.