(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Cerebral Palsy


189)."" The term cerebral refers to the brain's two halves, or hemispheres, and palsy describes any disorder that impairs the control of body movement. Thus, these disorders are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. Instead, faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupts the brain's ability to adequately control movement and posture.
             Symptoms of cerebral palsy have varying severity. "An individual with cerebral palsy may have difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as writing or cutting with scissors; experience trouble with maintaining balance and walking; or be affected by involuntary movements, such as uncontrollable writhing motion of the hands or drooling(p.190)."" The symptoms differ from one person to the next, and may even change over time in the individual. Some people with cerebral palsy are also affected by other medical disorders, including seizures or mental impairment. Contrary to common belief, however, cerebral palsy does not always cause profound handicap. "While a child with severe cerebral palsy might be unable to walk and need extensive, lifelong care, a child with mild cerebral palsy might only be slightly awkward and require no special assistance. Cerebral palsy is not contagious nor is it usually inherited from one generation to the next. At this time, it cannot be cured, although scientific research continues to yield improved treatments and methods of prevention(Hughes, 1992, p.83)."".
             How Many People Have This Disorder?.
             "The United Cerebral palsy Associations estimate that more than 500,000 Americans have cerebral palsy. Despite advances in preventing and treating certain causes of cerebral palsy, the number of children and adults it affects has remained essentially unchanged or perhaps risen slightly over the past 30 years (http://www.ucpa.org/)."" This is partly because more critically premature and frail infants are surviving through improved intensive care.


Essays Related to Cerebral Palsy


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question