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Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe a set of neurological conditions that affect movement. It is the most common form of childhood disability. The condition makes it hard to move certain parts of the body. There are many degrees of severity. Because of damage to certain parts of the brain, voluntary or involuntary movements or both can be affected.
Cerebral palsy is not contagious, it does not necessarily affect intelligence or cognitive ability, and it is not progressive, so it does not get worse with age.
SYMPTOMS AND TYPES:
An infant with cerebral palsy may have muscular and movement problems, including poor muscle tone. Muscle tone refers to a person’s automatic ability to tighten and relax muscle when required.
Features include:
Other signs and symptoms include:
Symptoms normally start to show during the first 3 years of life.
TYPES:
There are four types of cerebral palsy: Spastic, athetoid-dyskinetic, ataxic, and hypotonic.
There are three different types of spastic cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy does not necessarily affect intelligence.
Also known as athetoid dyskinetic cerebral palsy, this is the second most common type. Intelligence is usually normal, but muscle problems affect the whole body. Weak or tight muscle tone causes random and uncontrolled body movements.
The child will have problems walking, sitting, maintaining posture, and speaking clearly because the tongue and vocal cords are hard to control. Some children drool if they have problems controlling facial muscles.
Balance and coordination are most affected. Tasks that need fine motor skills will be difficult, such as tying shoelaces, buttoning up shirts, and cutting with scissors.
Balance difficulties may cause the child to walk with their feet far apart. Most children with ataxic cerebral palsy have normal intelligence and good communication skills, but some may have erratic speech.
Hypotonic cerebral palsy results from an injury to the cerebellum.
Muscle problems appear earlier. The infant’s head and body will be floppy, “like a rag doll.” There is only moderate resistance when an adult tries to move the infant’s limbs. The infant may rest with their elbows and knees loosely extended, instead of flexed. There may be breathing difficulties.
CAUSES:
Muscle control takes place in a part of the brain called the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the upper part of the brain. Damage to the cerebrum before, during, or within 5 years of birth can cause cerebral palsy.
The cerebrum is also responsible for memory, ability to learn, and communication skills. This is why some people with cerebral palsy have problems with communication and learning. Cerebrum damage can sometimes affect vision and hearing.
Some newborns are deprived of oxygen during labor and delivery. In the past, it was thought that this lack of oxygen during birth led to the brain damage. Most often, the damage occurs before birth, probably during the first 6 months of pregnancy.
Several factors can cause a stroke in a fetus during pregnancy:
During delivery, the risk is increased by the following factors:
Anything that increases the risk of preterm birth or low birth weight also raises the risk of cerebral palsy.
Factors that may contribute to a higher risk of cerebral palsy include:
A small proportion of cases happen because of damage after birth. This can happen because of an infection such as meningitis, a head injury, a drowning accident, or poisoning.
When damage occurs, it will do so soon after the birth. With age, the human brain becomes more resilient and able to withstand more damage.