Cerebral Palsy:
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What is Cerebral palsy ?
Cerebral palsy occurs when part of the brain is damaged or has not
developed properly. This will have happened before birth, at the time of
birth or in early childhood. The affected area of the brain is one of the
parts that controls movement. This results in difficulties in balance and
movement. In some people, cerebral palsy is barely noticeable. Others will
be more severely affected.
Cerebral palsy can affect people from all backgrounds. It is not
contagious, nor is it usually inherited. It is often not possible for
doctors to give a reason why part of a baby's brain has been injured or
failed to develop.
How is it caused?
Some possible causes are:
The mother had an infection or illness in the early part of the pregnancy.
The baby had a difficult or premature birth. He or she may have had
difficulty breathing after birth.
There could have been some bleeding in the baby's brain.
It could be the result of a brain infection or head injury in early
childhood.
Movement is controlled by the brain and sends messages to the muscles as
to how they should move. If the brain is damaged or has not developed
properly, as in cerebral palsy the messages between the brain and the
muscles are muddled and confused. This leads to lack of control and inco-ordination
of movements.
There are three types of cerebral palsy, depending on which part of the
brain is affected - Spastic, Athetoid and Ataxic.
Many people with cerebral palsy have a combination of two or more types.
Spastic cerebral palsy
In this type of cerebral palsy the muscles are stiff and this tightness
results in difficulty moving. This is the most common form of cerebral
palsy. Spasticity may affect part of the body or the whole body.
Athetoid cerebral palsy
People with athetoid cerebral palsy have involuntary movements, because
their muscles quickly change from being tight to suddenly going floppy.
Their speech can be hard to understand because they have difficulty
controlling the muscles that we use for speaking. Hearing problems are
also common. Athetosis affects the whole body.
Ataxic cerebral palsy
People with ataxic cerebral palsy have great difficulty in balance. They
may have difficulty judging their position in relation to their
surroundings. Ataxia affects the whole body. Most people with ataxic
cerebral palsy can walk but they are unsteady. They may also have shaky
hand movements and jerky speech.
Cerebral palsy is not progressive, it does not become more severe as the
child gets older, although some difficulties may become more noticeable as
the child grows. There is no cure for cerebral palsy at the present time.
Some people with cerebral palsy may have only mild problems, such as
difficulties with fine motor activities, such as writing, and problems
keeping balance when walking. Others may have more severe difficulties
such not being able to sit or control head, or uncontrolled movements in
the body.
People with cerebral palsy may have other difficulties or medical
conditions, together with their movement problems. Nevertheless, it is
important to remember that just because a person has cerebral palsy it
does not mean that they will also have these difficulties.
Some people with cerebral palsy have convulsions or epilepsy. This can
usually be helped with correct medicine.
Some people with cerebral palsy may have learning difficulties, which
means they learn more slowly. These learning difficulties range from mild
to severe. The person may have a 'specific learning difficulty', that is,
a problem with a particular activity such as reading, drawing or
arithmetic, because the part of the brain controlling these skills is also
affected. However, it is important to remember that even someone who has
severe physical problems may have average or above average intelligence.
Cerebral palsy may result in problems with speech which are sometimes
associated with difficulties in eating and swallowing.
Cerebral palsy may result in impaired vision or hearing.
Early signs & diagnosis :
It is important for parents to take action as soon as their child is
diagnosed as having a movement problem, which is often the first sign of
cerebral palsy.
If children are positioned well from an early age and encouraged to play
in a way that helps them to improve their posture and muscle control, they
can be helped to develop more control over their movement and as
independent as possible.
Correct physiotherapy, which helps the child to move and balance should
begin as soon as possible.
A teacher trained to teach children with special needs can advise parents
how to stimulate their children and help them to learn and communicate if
they have speech difficulties.
Make sure he or she is included in all the activities that the family does
together.
Many children with cerebral palsy can manage in mainstream schools, with
teacher support. A nursery school will help social and learning
development.
ADHD
|| Aspergers
|| Autism
|| Cerebral Palsy
|| Down
Syndrome
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