This article provides a brief overview of cerebral palsy and related information that may be helpful to a patient or their family and friends. For more detailed information, contact your doctor or local support group.
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral refers to the brain and paralysis to poor muscle control or weakness. Cerebral palsy (CP) is not a disease, but a term used to describe a group of disorders that result from a defect in one or more areas of the brain that occurs before birth or in childhood. Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive condition as brain damage is a one-time occurrence and although the affected brain cells will not be repaired, other brain cells will continue to develop and function. Therefore, the intelligence of a patient is not usually diminished by the condition.
The following are common causes of PC;
• Insufficient oxygen reaching the baby during pregnancy and delivery.
• Maternal infection during pregnancy (eg, German measles)
• Premature birth or low birth weight
• Incompatibility of blood group between mother and baby
• Severe jaundice after birth
• Head injuries or treating illnesses in early childhood
• Genetic disorders
What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?
Stiffness of movement, muscle weakness, difficulty in balance, sluggishness, and tremors are common symptoms of CP. Some patients only experience mild symptoms in one limb, while others will be severely disabled with the entire body affected. The four types of PC are;
• Spastic cerebral palsy
This is the most common form of CP that occurs in 70-80% of cases. People with this form of cerebral palsy are hypertonic, which means that they have increased muscle tension and less ability to stretch their muscles; victims may appear stiff or rigid.
• Athetoid cerebral palsy (dyskinetic)
People with anthetoid (dyskinetic) cerebral palsy have a mixture of increased and decreased muscle tone. Posture and the ability to sit or stand will be affected, and patients will experience slow, involuntary movements of the arms, hands, and legs, as well as possible facial grimacing and drooling. Fine motor skills, speaking, eating, and swallowing can be limited.
• Ataxic cerebral palsy
Ataxic cerebral palsy affects 5-10% of cerebral palsy patients. The symptoms usually appear in the legs, arms and sometimes torso, with a lack of balance, coordination and low muscle tone. People with ataxic cerebral palsy often have a wide-based gait (walking) and are very unsteady and shaky.
• Mixed cerebral palsy
Mixed cerebral palsy cases affect approximately 10% of patients. The most common combination is spastic and athetoid PC, but other combinations are possible. Some patients can be affected by all three types of cerebral palsy.
What are the treatments available for those with cerebral palsy?
There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy. The main treatment is physical therapy to strengthen muscle groups and develop motor skills. Therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) can be given to patients while they sleep to increase muscle fiber, but patients have been found to require physical therapy in conjunction with the use of a TES machine to benefit from it. Patients also use warm water therapy sessions and horseback riding, as well as Botox injections to freeze muscles affected by spastic movement.
Mild cerebral palsy victims can usually live without assistance, while those with more severe disabilities may find bed risers, a shower chair, walkers, and grab bars on the walls.