What is Cerebral Palsy?

- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition caused by brain damage during pregnancy, birth or a brain injury.

- Cerebral palsy causes a range of disabilities, from mild to severe.

- Cerebral palsy is the leading cause of physical disability in childhood with an incidence of 2-2.5 per 1,000 live births.

- Some of the potential issues a child with cerebral palsy may face include:

• Movement and walking disabilities
• Speech difficulties
• Learning disabilities
• Cognitive impairments
• Hearing or vision loss
• Epilepsy
• Emotional and behavioral challenges
• Spinal deformities
• Joint problems

Types of Cerebral Palsy:

- Spastic Cerebral Palsy: accounts for 75% of all Cerebral Palsy cases. It causes increased muscle tone, known as spasticity and causes:

• Delayed developmental milestones for movement.
• Movement inhibition.
• Difficulties controlling muscle movement.
• Difficulties moving from one position to another.

-  Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy: is the second most common type of CP. Symptoms include:

• Dystonia, repetitive and twisting motions.
• Athetosis, writhing movements.
• Chorea, unpredictable movements.
• Poor posture.
• Painful movements.
• Difficulty swallowing or talking.

- Ataxic Cerebral Palsy: is the least common Cerebral Palsy. It causes poor balance, limited coordination, tremors, and shaky movements that are difficult to control.

- Mixed Cerebral Palsy: causes symptoms characteristic of two or three of the other types. Spastic-dyskinetic cerebral palsy is the most common type of mixed CP.

How Is Cerebral Palsy Treated?

- Various Medications: help control spastic movements, seizures, relieve pain, and anage other symptoms and related conditions.

- Surgery: is a critical part of treatment for many children with CP. Surgical procedures may improve mobility or manage pain. Common procedures include tendon or muscle release, and scoliosis surgery.

- Different types of therapies: to treat people with cerebral palsy include:

• Physical
• Occupational
• Feeding
• Aqua
• Horse and animal
• Music
• Play
• Behavioral
• Speech/Language