What Is Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a significantly common disorder affecting over 500,000 Americans (both children and adults). It is estimated that each year roughly 8,000 infants and approximately 1,500 children between the ages of 2 and 3 are diagnosed with this chronic problem. So, exactly what is cerebral palsy and what happens to people with disease? Firstly, cerebral palsy is not a disease, it is a disorder. When a child gets cerebral palsy their motor and movement skills are greatly affected. A chronic disorder, cerebral palsy is an umbrella term that describes the impaired control of movement in the first few years of a child’s life. And while this disorder is not progressive by nature it does how alter a person’s quality of life.

Cerebral palsy does not affect adults; it effects children and is a life long problem. This disorder is usually caused by the improper development or damage to the motor area of the brain. This area of the brain controls a child’s movement and posture.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy or CP include;

• difficulty with motor tasks like writing
• difficulty maintaining balance
• difficulty walking and
• involuntary movements

While in many cases cerebral palsy is often a congenital birth defect. There are instances where this disorder can be caused by head injury, jaundice, Rh incompatibility and Rubella or German measles. In this case, cerebral palsy can often be prevented and is even treatable. CP is diagnosed by testing the motor and reflexive skills of a child and by employing a number of specialized tests such as MRI’s, CT scans and ultrasounds.

Signs & Symptoms

All types of cerebral palsy are characterized by

• abnormal muscle tone
• abnormal posture
• abnormal reflexes &
• abnormal motor development and coordination

The more classic symptoms of CP are;

• spasticity
• paralysis
• seizures
• difficulty walking &
• dysarthria or a speech defect

Types Of Cerebral Palsy

There are 3 major types of cerebral palsy;

• Spastic cerebral palsy
• athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy and
• ataxic cerebral palsy

In spastic cerebral palsy, an individual’s muscles become very stiff and make movement extremely difficult. Both legs are often affected and a child may find it difficult to walk.

In athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy, the body’s muscle tone is affected making it hard for a child to sit and walk properly. This is because the body’s muscle tone becomes either too tight or too loose. In this type of CP facial muscles are also affected making it difficult to suck, swallow or speak. In ataxic cerebral palsy, balance and coordination are affected. Here children suffer from an unsteady walk and have problems with precise motor skills like writing or using a pair of scissors.

Causes Of Cerebral Palsy

In many cases the exact cause of cerebral palsy is often unknown, so there is not much that one can do to prevent it. However in 70% of cases experts say that CP results from events that occur before birth that disrupt the development of the brain.

Some of the known causes of this disorder include

• Infections during pregnancy such as rubella or German measles, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis and chorioamnionitis.
• Insufficient oxygen to the fetus.
• Premature birth.
• Asphyxia (lack of oxygen) during labor and delivery.
• Blood diseases such as Rh disease.
• Severe jaundice &
• Other birth defects such as brain malformations, genetic diseases and other physical birth defects.

Acquired cerebral palsy - In about 10% of cases cerebral palsy is acquired due to brain injuries that occur during the first two years of a child’s life. The most common causes of such injuries include brain infections like meningitis and head injuries.

Treatment

There is no cure for cerebral palsy; however medication and treatment can help many children lead near normal lives. While there is no standard or typical treatment for CP, drugs are often used to help control symptoms such as seizures and muscle spasms. Leg, arm or face braces can also be used for muscle imbalances in a child. Surgery is also an option for children with severe cases of this chronic disorder. Along with emotional and psychological counseling, children also need physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy as well.