Unfortunately, many of these infants have developmental problems of the nervous system or suffer neurological damage. Research is under way to improve care for these infants, as in ongoing studies of technology to alleviate troubled breathing and trials of drugs to prevent bleeding in the brain before or soon after birth.
Different Types of Cerebral palsy.
Children with cerebral palsy have damage to the area of their brain that controls muscle tone. Depending on where their brain injury is and how big it is, their muscle tone may be too tight, too loose, or a combination of too tight and loose. Muscle tone is what lets us keep our bodies in a certain position, like sitting with our heads up to look at the teacher in class. Changes in muscle tone let us move.
Spastic Cerebral palsy.
"If muscle tone is too high or too tight, the term spastic is used to describe the type of cerebral palsy. Children with spastic cerebral palsy have stiff and jerky movements because their muscles are too tight. They often have a hard time moving from one position to another or letting go of something in their hand. This is the most common type of cerebral palsy. About half of all people with cerebral palsy have spastic cerebral palsy (Schleickhorn, 1993, p.20-21)."".
Ataxic Cerebral palsy.
"Low muscle tone and poor coordination of movements is described as ataxic cerebral palsy. Kids with ataxic cerebral palsy look very unsteady and shaky. They have alot of shakiness, like a tremor you might have seen in a very old person, especially when they are trying to do something like write or turn a page or cut with scissors(p.21)."" They also often have very poor balance and may be very unsteady when they walk. Because of the shaky movements and problems coordinating their muscles, kids with ataxic cerebral palsy may take longer to finish writing.
Athetoid Cerebral palsy.
"The term athetoid is used to describe the type of cerebral palsy when muscle tone is mixed - sometimes too high and sometimes too low.