Cerebral palsy is most commonly the result of failure of a part of the brain to develop, either before birth or in early childhood. This is sometimes because of a blocked blood vessel, complications in labour, extreme prematurity or illness just after birth. Infections during pregnancy, or infancy and early childhood, eg meningitis or encephalitis, can also cause cp. Occasionally it is due to an inherited disorder; in such cases genetic counselling may be helpful.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from child to child. Some children will have problems walking, while others will be profoundly disabled and require life-long care.
Cerebral palsy (cp) is not a disease or an illness. It is the description of a physical impairment that affects movement. The movement problems vary from barely noticeable to extremely severe. No two people with cp are the same; it is as individual as people themselves.
The main effect of cp is difficulty in movement. Many people with cp are hardly affected, others have problems walking, eating, swallowing, speaking or using their hands. Some people are unable to sit up without support and need constant enabling.
Sometimes the parts of the brain affected result in in difficulties in vision, hearing, perception and learning. Between a quarter and a third of children and adolescents, and about a tenth of adults, are also affected by epilepsy.
People with cp often have difficulty controlling their movement and facial expressions. This does not necessarily mean that their mental abilities are in any way impaired. Some are of higher than average intelligence, other people with cp have moderate or severe learning difficulties. Most, like most people without cp, are of average intelligence.
Improvements in maternity services and neonatal care have meant that fewer babies develop cp as a result of lack of oxygen (from difficulties at birth) or jaundice, but they have also meant that more babies with very low birth weights survive. These babies are more likely to have cp.
There are several different common types of cerebral palsy, each of which has different symptoms. These are explained below.
Spastic hemiplegia
If your child has spastic hemiplegia, they will have muscle stiffness (spasticity) on one side of their body. This is normally limited to the hand and arm, but sometimes also affects their leg.
Spastic hemiplegia may also cause your child to develop an abnormal curvature of their spine (scoliosis). They may have problems speaking, but their intelligence should not be affected by the condition.
Some children with spastic hemiplegia will also experience epileptic seizures.
Spastic diplegia
In this type of cerebral palsy, your child will experience muscle stiffness in their legs. This may cause difficulty walking, and they may need aids such as leg braces or a walking frame.
Communication skills and intelligence should be unaffected.
Ataxic cerebral palsy
In this form of the condition your child's balance and depth perception will be affected (depth perception is the ability to judge where objects are in relation to your position).
They may appear clumsy and uncoordinated and have problems with activities that require precise movement, such as writing or tying a shoelace. They may also experience tremors in their hands (involuntary shaking), especially when they are trying to reach for an object.
Your child's communication skills and intelligence should be unaffected, though their speech may be erratic.
Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy
If your child has athetoid cerebral palsy (also referred to as dyskinetic cerebral palsy) they will experience both increased and decreased muscle tone. This means they frequently make apparently random and uncontrolled body movements. They will probably have problems with maintaining their posture.
Their speech will also be affected as they have difficulties controlling their tongue and vocal cords. Your child may also have problems with eating and drooling.
Intelligence is normally not affected in children with athetoid cerebral palsy.
Spastic quadriplegia
This is the most severe type of cerebral palsy, caused by extensive damage to the brain. Your child will have a high degree of stiffness in all their limbs, and may be unable to walk. Conversely, their neck muscles will be very lose and they may have problems supporting their head.
They will have difficulties in speaking, and the condition is also associated with a moderate to severe degree of learning difficulties.
Frequent epileptic seizures are common in children living with this condition.
Useful Links:
http://www.scope-org.uk/
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=93
http://www.treloar.org.uk/
The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from child to child. Some children will have problems walking, while others will be profoundly disabled and require life-long care.
Cerebral palsy (cp) is not a disease or an illness. It is the description of a physical impairment that affects movement. The movement problems vary from barely noticeable to extremely severe. No two people with cp are the same; it is as individual as people themselves.
The main effect of cp is difficulty in movement. Many people with cp are hardly affected, others have problems walking, eating, swallowing, speaking or using their hands. Some people are unable to sit up without support and need constant enabling.
Sometimes the parts of the brain affected result in in difficulties in vision, hearing, perception and learning. Between a quarter and a third of children and adolescents, and about a tenth of adults, are also affected by epilepsy.
People with cp often have difficulty controlling their movement and facial expressions. This does not necessarily mean that their mental abilities are in any way impaired. Some are of higher than average intelligence, other people with cp have moderate or severe learning difficulties. Most, like most people without cp, are of average intelligence.
Improvements in maternity services and neonatal care have meant that fewer babies develop cp as a result of lack of oxygen (from difficulties at birth) or jaundice, but they have also meant that more babies with very low birth weights survive. These babies are more likely to have cp.
There are several different common types of cerebral palsy, each of which has different symptoms. These are explained below.
Spastic hemiplegia
If your child has spastic hemiplegia, they will have muscle stiffness (spasticity) on one side of their body. This is normally limited to the hand and arm, but sometimes also affects their leg.
Spastic hemiplegia may also cause your child to develop an abnormal curvature of their spine (scoliosis). They may have problems speaking, but their intelligence should not be affected by the condition.
Some children with spastic hemiplegia will also experience epileptic seizures.
Spastic diplegia
In this type of cerebral palsy, your child will experience muscle stiffness in their legs. This may cause difficulty walking, and they may need aids such as leg braces or a walking frame.
Communication skills and intelligence should be unaffected.
Ataxic cerebral palsy
In this form of the condition your child's balance and depth perception will be affected (depth perception is the ability to judge where objects are in relation to your position).
They may appear clumsy and uncoordinated and have problems with activities that require precise movement, such as writing or tying a shoelace. They may also experience tremors in their hands (involuntary shaking), especially when they are trying to reach for an object.
Your child's communication skills and intelligence should be unaffected, though their speech may be erratic.
Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy
If your child has athetoid cerebral palsy (also referred to as dyskinetic cerebral palsy) they will experience both increased and decreased muscle tone. This means they frequently make apparently random and uncontrolled body movements. They will probably have problems with maintaining their posture.
Their speech will also be affected as they have difficulties controlling their tongue and vocal cords. Your child may also have problems with eating and drooling.
Intelligence is normally not affected in children with athetoid cerebral palsy.
Spastic quadriplegia
This is the most severe type of cerebral palsy, caused by extensive damage to the brain. Your child will have a high degree of stiffness in all their limbs, and may be unable to walk. Conversely, their neck muscles will be very lose and they may have problems supporting their head.
They will have difficulties in speaking, and the condition is also associated with a moderate to severe degree of learning difficulties.
Frequent epileptic seizures are common in children living with this condition.
Useful Links:
http://www.scope-org.uk/
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=93
http://www.treloar.org.uk/
