Definition
Cerebral palsy is considered a neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain injury or malformation that occurs while the child’s brain is developing. Cerebral palsy primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination. It can affect arms, legs, and even the face; it may only affect one limb, several, or all. Balance and posture, and asks such as walking, sitting, or tying shoes may be difficult for some, while others might have difficulty grasping objects (6) . Other complications, such as intellectual impairment, seizures, and vision or hearing impairment also commonly accompany cerebral palsy.
Types of Cerebra Palsy (5):
Spastic CP– Most common form (50-80%)– Spasticity in some areas
Athetoid CP– Weak muscles, involuntary writhing movements
Ataxic CP– Rare: shaking, intention tremor, poor Balance
Dystonic CP– Slow, involuntary twisting movements of trunk and extremities
Mixed CP– Combinations of CP forms
Signs and Symptoms (2):
Signs and symptoms vary according to location and extent of brain injury developed in infancy, hypotonicity, hypertonicity, problems with walking, poor coordination, muscle control, adults with CP age quickly.
Babies: low muscle tone, feeling stiff or muscle spasms, poor muscle control, poor reflexes and posture, delayed development, feeding or swallowing difficulties. A doctor will evaluate a child's muscle tone to diagnose cerebral palsy.
Toddlers/children: Depending on the level of severity of their cerebral palsy, toddlers and children may experience difficulties with their physical development; such as not walking by 12-18 months, and not being able to speak full sentences by 24 months.
Risk Factors/Causes (5):
Cerebral palsy is considered a neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain injury or malformation that occurs while the child’s brain is developing. Cerebral palsy primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination. It can affect arms, legs, and even the face; it may only affect one limb, several, or all. Balance and posture, and asks such as walking, sitting, or tying shoes may be difficult for some, while others might have difficulty grasping objects (6) . Other complications, such as intellectual impairment, seizures, and vision or hearing impairment also commonly accompany cerebral palsy.
Types of Cerebra Palsy (5):
Spastic CP– Most common form (50-80%)– Spasticity in some areas
Athetoid CP– Weak muscles, involuntary writhing movements
Ataxic CP– Rare: shaking, intention tremor, poor Balance
Dystonic CP– Slow, involuntary twisting movements of trunk and extremities
Mixed CP– Combinations of CP forms
Signs and Symptoms (2):
Signs and symptoms vary according to location and extent of brain injury developed in infancy, hypotonicity, hypertonicity, problems with walking, poor coordination, muscle control, adults with CP age quickly.
Babies: low muscle tone, feeling stiff or muscle spasms, poor muscle control, poor reflexes and posture, delayed development, feeding or swallowing difficulties. A doctor will evaluate a child's muscle tone to diagnose cerebral palsy.
Toddlers/children: Depending on the level of severity of their cerebral palsy, toddlers and children may experience difficulties with their physical development; such as not walking by 12-18 months, and not being able to speak full sentences by 24 months.
Risk Factors/Causes (5):
- Intracranial hemorrhage, damage to white matter and ventricles
- Maternal infection or illness, Rh sensitization, abdominal trauma, pregnancy-induced hypertension.
- Anoxia, asphyxia, head trauma during birth
- Jaundice developed in infancy, head trauma, infection, brain hemorrhage, neoplasms in brain.
