by Angela Mcelroy

Created on: June 01, 2009   Last Updated: June 03, 2009

Cerebral palsy is a disease that affects children within their first year life. Cerebral palsy is the term used to describe the permanent disorder in the development of movement and posture. Cerebral means having to do with the brain and palsy is the weakness in the movement of the body. It caused by damage to the motor control center located within the brain and can occur during pregnancy. There are no special tests that can determine whether or not a child has cerebral palsy. Usually, a doctor will rule out any other diseases that can be affecting the brain. A child is usually diagnosed by eighteen months of age.

There are types of cerebral palsy: althetoid, ataxic, and spastic. Spastic is the most common type of cerebral palsy found among children suffering from the disease. The disease can be mild or severe, depending upon how much of the brain has been affected. Cerebral palsy is incurable. The affects of cerebral palsy on the brain do not get worse over time. Yet, the physical affects due progress as the child gets older. Due to improvements in neonatal nursing there has been a decrease in the number of children developing cerebral palsy. However, the increased survival of babies born with low birth weight increases the childs chances of developing cerebral palsy.

There are many symptoms associated with cerebral palsy. Those affected by the disease may not necessarily have all the symptoms. One person may have one or two, another may have more. The symptoms of cerebral palsy are:

Hearing loss that may occur in 10% of children.

Vision impairments that may occur in 40% of children.

Tremors

Ataxia (the lack of muscle coordination when moving)

Spasticity (stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes

Assymetrical walking gait with one foot or leg dragging.

Variation in muscle tone to too stiff to floppy.

Oromotor dysfunction (excessive drooling, trouble swallowing, sucking of speaking) May have respiratory problems.

Aspiration in small quantities may lead to pneumonia in those who have trouble swallowing.

Bladder and bowel dysfunction

Seizures which affect 30% to 50% of children. Especially those in total body involved, and hemipleges, in patients with mental retardation, and postnatally acquired cerebral palsy.

Difficulties with precise motion such as writing or buttoning a shirt.

Psychosocial problems due to the stress of cerebral palsy.

This disease has a devastating effect upon children. The mental disabilities do not worsen with time, however, the physcial characteristics of the disease worsens with age. This disease has no cure. Perhaps with continued research one will be found.

Source

www.cerebralpalsysymptoms.org

www.kidshealth.org

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