Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a group of disorders. It describes a permanent, but not unchanging disorder of posture and/or movement due to non-progressive disturbances in the immature brain. The motor disorders may be accompanied by other difficulties, such as sensation, cognition, communication, or epilepsy.
Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in childhood. It is estimated approximately two people out of every 1000 will have cerebral palsy. The condition is not hereditary and there is no known cure.
The causes
Many causes of cerebral palsy are still not known or understood. However, it is known the developing brain can be injured by:
- Exposure to certain infections in the early months of pregnancy
- Reduced oxygen supply to the baby before, during or after birth
- Exposure of an infant to severe infection shortly after birth or the first few weeks of life
- An accident or any trauma in the early years of life or even before birth
It is important to note that cerebral palsy has different causes, and affects each person differently, therefore people with cerebral palsy have varying individual needs.
The characteristics
Cerebral palsy can be grouped into three main types, which describe the disorders of movement and posture that may be experienced by a person. These are called spasticity, dyskinesia (athetosis/dystonia) and ataxia.
Spasticity occurs when muscles are high in tone (tension) but weak in strength. A person experiencing spasticity may have difficulty moving their limbs and adopting stable posture.
Dyskinesia is often referred to as athetosis or dystonia. Both refer to uncontrolled movements, which are often most noticeable when a person with this type of cerebral palsy commences movement. In addition, children with athetoid cerebral palsy often have very weak muscles or feel floppy when they are carried.
Ataxia is characterised by unsteady, shaky movements or tremor. People with ataxic cerebral palsy have difficulty using muscles to achieve balance and coordinated movement. This is the least common type of cerebral palsy.
It is important to note that the movement difficulties each person has will be unique. Often a person with cerebral palsy will have a combination of the characteristics described above and postural characteristics may change as the person matures.
Effects on the body
Specific terms are used to describe the parts of the individual's body that are affected.
Diplegia - Both legs and both arms are affected, but the legs are more significantly affected than the arms.
Hemiplegia - The leg and arm on one side of the body are most affected with minimal impairment on the other side.
Quadriplegia - The arms are affected as much or more than the legs.
The muscles of the trunk, face and mouth can also be affected in addition to the limbs. This is more common in quadriplegia than diplegia or hemiplegia.
References
ACPR Group, Report of the Australian Cerebral Palsy Register, Birth Years 1993-2003, Dec 2009. Available: http://secure.cpregister-aus.com.au/pubs/pdf/ACPR-Report.pdf [2010, July 5].
Imms, C., & Dodd, K. (2010) What is cerebral palsy? In: Dodd, K., Imms, C., & Taylor, N. Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy for People with Cerebral Palsy. A problem-based approach to assessment and management. (pp7-30). London: MacKeith Press.
QCPR Group, CP Register Queensland 1996 Birth Year Report, 2010.
Rosenbaum, P., Paneth, N., Leviton, A., Goldstein, M., & Bax, M. (2007) A report: the definition and classification of cerebral palsy April 2006. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology Supplement, 49, 8-14.