Cerebral Palsy

February 2012

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Cerebral Palsy

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Causes and types

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: difficult labor or birth
After birth: hypoxia, high fever, infections, poison, and hemorrhage

The most common type of classification specify the limbs involved and the type of motor disability.

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

CP may be spastic, ataxic, athetoid, or mixed.

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

Risk factors

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

Trying to prevent cerebral palsy

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.

CEREBRAL PALSY
Athens, OH

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