Cerebral Palsy

            
            
             Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movements and muscle coordination. The word cerebral refers to the brain and palsy to difficulty in control of movement . Cerebral palsy is neither progressive nor communicable. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain. This damage usually occurs during development infancy. Damage leading to cerebral palsy can also occur before, during or shortly after birth. Birth injury can lead to cerebral palsy.
             Description/Characteristics: Cerebral palsy symptoms include unusually weak or tight muscles, difficulty with balance, poor coordination, abnormal reflexes, and delay in developing motor skills such as sitting and walking. The diagnosis refers exclusively to problems with movement, but the underlying brain injury may cause other neurological problems. About half of children with cerebral palsy will also develop seizures, and about one-quarter will have severe mental retardation. Some of these symptoms may take time to become obvious, especially since cases of cerebral palsy can range from severe to mild and almost unnoticeable. .
             Four Types of Cerebral Palsy:.
            
             • Spastic. Children with spastic cerebral palsy have increased reflexes, increased muscle tone, tight muscles, and joint contractures. .
            
             • Hypotonic. These children have decreased muscle tone, resulting in weakness and joint instability. .
            
             • Athetoid. Children with athetoid cerebral palsy squirm and thrash about when they become upset or excited. .
            
             • Ataxic. These children generally don't have joint contractures, but they have problems with balance and tremors.
             Capabilities: Although cerebral palsy cannot be cured, treatments can often improve a child's capabilities. In fact, recent progress in treatments now means that many patients can enjoy near-normal lives if their neurological problems are managed properly.