Cerebral+Palsy

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Cerebral Palsy
Medical Author: Boosara Ratanawongsa, MD
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Coauthor: Kathryn L Hale, MS, PA-C

Medical Editor: Neil A Busis, MD

Medical Editor: Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD

Medical Editor: Carmel Armon, MD, MHS, MSc


 * [Palsy Overview|Cerebral Palsy Overview]
 * [Palsy Causes|Cerebral Palsy Causes]
 * [Palsy Symptoms|Cerebral Palsy Symptoms]
 * [to Seek Medical Care|When to Seek Medical Care]
 * [and Tests|Exams and Tests]
 * [Palsy Treatment|Cerebral Palsy Treatment]
 * [Treatment|Medical Treatment]
 * [|Medications]
 * [|Surgery]
 * [Therapy|Other Therapy]
 * [Steps|Next Steps]
 * [|Follow-up]
 * [|Prevention]
 * [|Outlook]
 * [Groups and Counseling|Support Groups and Counseling]
 * [More Information|For More Information]
 * [Links|Web Links]
 * [and Keywords|Synonyms and Keywords]
 * [and Editors|Authors and Editors]
 * Related cerebral palsy article:Cerebral Palsy- on MedicineNet
 * [|Read more on Cerebral Palsy from Healthwise]
 * [|Viewer Comments: Cerebral Palsy - Symptoms]

Cerebral Palsy Overview
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term for a group of disorders affecting body movement, balance, and [|posture]. Loosely translated, cerebral palsy means “[|brain] [|paralysis].” Cerebral palsy is caused by [|abnormal] development or damage in one or more parts of the brain that control [|muscle] tone and [|motor]activity (movement). The resulting impairments first appear early in life, usually in infancy or early childhood. Infants with cerebral palsy are usually slow to reach developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking. Common to all individuals with cerebral palsy is difficulty controlling and coordinating muscles. This makes even very simple movements difficult. Types of cerebral palsy are as follows:
 * Cerebral palsy may involve muscle stiffness ([|spasticity]), poor muscle tone, uncontrolled movements, and problems with posture, balance, coordination, walking, speech, swallowing, and many other functions.
 * [|Mental retardation], seizures, [|breathing] problems, learning disabilities, [|bladder] and [|bowel] control problems, [|skeletal] deformities, eating difficulties, dental problems, digestive problems, and hearing and vision problems are often linked to cerebral palsy.
 * The severity of these problems varies widely, from very mild and subtle to very profound.
 * Although the magnitude of the problems may wax and wane over time, the condition does not get worse over time.

Many individuals with cerebral palsy have normal or above average intelligence. Their ability to express their intelligence may be limited by difficulties in communicating. All children with cerebral palsy, regardless of intelligence level, are able to improve their abilities substantially with appropriate interventions. Most children with cerebral palsy require significant medical and physical care, including physical, occupational, and speech/swallowing [|therapy]. Despite advances in medical care, cerebral palsy remains a significant health problem. The number of people affected by cerebral palsy has increased over time. This may be because more and more premature infants are surviving. In the United States, about 2-3 children per 1000 have cerebral palsy. As many as 1,000,000 people of all ages are affected. Cerebral palsy affects both sexes and all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
 * Spastic (pyramidal): Increased muscle tone is the defining characteristic of this type. The muscles are stiff (spastic), and movements are jerky or awkward. This type is classified by which part of the body is affected: diplegia (both legs), [|hemiplegia] (one side of the body), or [|quadriplegia] (the entire body). This is the most common type of CP, accounting for about 70-80% of cases.
 * Dyskinetic (extrapyramidal): This includes types that affect coordination of movements. There are 2 subtypes.
 * Athetoid: The person has uncontrolled movements that are slow and writhing. The movements can affect any part of the body, including the face, [|mouth], and [|tongue]. About 10-20% of cerebral palsy cases are of this type.
 * Ataxic: This type affects balance and coordination. Depth perception is usually affected. If the person can walk, the [|gait] is probably unsteady. He or she has difficulty with movements that are quick or require a great deal of control, such as writing. About 5-10% of cases of cerebral palsy are of this type.
 * Mixed: This is a mixture of different types of cerebral palsy. A common combination is spastic and athetoid.