What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is the term used to describe a broad range of permanent disorders of the brain resulting in abnormalities in muscle tone, movement and posture. Cerebral means "of the brain" and palsy means "loss of muscle control".

These disorders are caused by abnormal development of, or injury to, the developing brain and may occur before, during, or within the first two years after birth.

Each person who has cerebral palsy is unique, as it affects individuals in many different ways. Depending on the location and extent of brain abnormality, the person with cerebral palsy may also have associated difficulties with speech, vision and learning. Intellect need not be affected and people with cerebral palsy may have typical career and family aspirations and life expectancy.

What causes Cerebral Palsy?

Any abnormality or injury to the developing brain may cause cerebral palsy. This may be from genetic or developmental disorders affecting the formation of the brain early in pregnancy. Infections or toxins early in pregnancy may also damage the brain. Premature birth or a decrease in oxygen during labour or delivery may result in cerebral palsy. In the first two years of life the developing brain may be injured by trauma or infection, also resulting in cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy is not a disease, it is a condition.
It is not contagious. You cannot "catch it".
People with Cerebral Palsy have sensation in their arms and legs and are not paralyzed.

How would I treat someone with Cerebral Palsy?

Just as you would treat anyone else!
Treat them with honesty, courtesy and respect.

Living with a disability can be easier than living with society's response to a person with a disability.

What are the types of Cerebral Palsy?

Spastic - The spastic individual has disordered control of movement, muscle weakness and often disturbance of growth and development. He or she moves slowly, stiffly and with difficulty. Spasticity involves damage to the cortex of the brain (the outer layer), which has to do with thought, movement and sensation.

Athetoid -Athetosis results when the basal ganglia of the brain are affected; those parts which help to make movement well organized, graceful and economical. The main feature of the athetoid is the involuntary movements.

Ataxic - Damage to the cerebellum, the part of the brain which governs the functions of the body such as co-ordination of movement, posture and balancing, results in ataxia. The ataxic person has an unsteady gait and difficulty in balancing. It is essential to understand that more than one part of the brain may be damaged, thus resulting in a mixture of the different types of Cerebral Palsy.