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Related Links and Research Articles to Cerebral Palsy
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What is cerebral palsy and why is it important to know about it?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition characterized by paralysis, weakness, lack of coordination, and/or other motor dysfunction; caused by damage to the brain before it has matured. It is important to be aware of cerebral palsy in case you ever have someone in your family diagnosed with CP or come in contact with someone who has CP.
Anything that can cause brain damage during the brain's development can cause CP.
- Before birth: Maternal infections, chronic diseases, physical trauma, or maternal exposure to toxic substances or X rays
- During birth:
- Hemiplegia: One-half (right or left side) of the body is involved
- Diplegia: Legs are involved to a greater extent than arms
- Quadriplegia: All four limbs are involved
- Paraplegia: Only the legs are involved
- Spastic: Muscle tone is too high or too tight; child has stiff and jerky movements; most common type
- Ataxic: Low muscle tone and poor coordination of movements; have poor balance
- Athetoid: Muscle tone is sometimes too high and sometimes too low; random, involuntary movements
- Mixed: Muscle tone is too low in some muscles and too high in other muscles
- Breech presentation
- Complicated labor and delivery
- Low Apgar score
- Low birthweight and premature birth
- Multiple births
- Nervous system malformations
- Maternal bleeding or severe proteinuria late in pregnancy
- Maternal hyperthyroidism, mental retardation, or seizures
- Seizures in the newborn
- Prevent head injury by using child safety seats, helmets, and elimination of child abuse
- Jaundice of newborn infants can be treated with phototherapy
- Rh incompatibility can be identified by a blood test on expectant mothers
- Vaccination against rubella before the woman becomes pregnant
Diagnosing cerebral palsy
A physician will consider the delay of developmental milestones, such as reaching for toys, sitting, and walking. The physician will look for abnormalities in muscle tone, movements, and reflexes. Children are typically diagnosed by 18 months of age. MRIs and CT scans are usually ordered when there is suspicion of CP. These scans provide evidence of hydrocephalus or exclude other causes of motor problems, but do not prove if a child has CP.
