Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common congenital (existing before birth or at birth) disorders of childhood. About 500,000 children and adults of all ages in this country have cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects motor skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way), muscle tone, and muscle movement. Under usual circumstances, people learn to move their muscles in a coordinated and smooth way, although simple motions, even standing still, require a complicated interaction of muscles and nerves. Because a child who has cerebral palsy has difficulty controlling or coordinating his muscles, even these simple movements are difficult. Other problems children with cerebral palsy may develop include eating difficulties, bladder and bowel control problems, breathing problems, and learning disabilities.

Cerebral palsy results from damage to the brain that occurs before, during, or after birth in the first 3 to 5 years of life. It is not contagious and is not a progressive condition, which means it will not get worse over time. Although cerebral palsy cannot be cured, training, therapy, special equipment, and, in some cases, surgery can help a child with cerebral palsy lead a more functional life.

There are three types of cerebral palsy - spastic cerebral palsy causes stiffness and movement difficulties, athetoid cerebral palsy leads to involuntary and uncontrolled movements, and ataxic cerebral palsy is characterized by a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception. More...

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