What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a physical condition that affects movement of the body. It can affect the ability to move at all, or to control or stop movement. The severity of movement can vary from being very mild so that it can hardly be seen, to being so severe that a person has virtually no control over their movement, or can be somewhere on a scale in between. Cerebral palsy is not a learning disability in itself, although a number of people with cerebral palsy may also have a learning or behavioural disability as well as another condition, syndrome or disability. Cerebral Palsy itself is a lifelong condition that can not be cured. However the effects of Cerebral Palsy on the body and muscles can improve with the input of therapy e.g. physiotherapy, or may deteriorate with ageing. Cerebral Palsy[1].
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a medical condition that affects control of the muscles. If someone has cerebral palsy it means that because of an injury to their brain, they are unable to use some of the muscles in their body in the normal way. Children who have cerebral palsy may not be able to walk, talk, eat or play like other kids. CP is not a disease or illness. It isn’t contagious and it doesn’t get worse, but it is not something you “grow out of.” Children who have CP will have it all their lives.
Cerebral palsy is a physical condition that affects movement of the body. It can affect the ability to move at all, or to control or stop movement. The severity of movement can vary from being very mild so that it can hardly be seen, to being so severe that a person has virtually no control over their movement, or can be somewhere on a scale in between. Cerebral palsy is not a learning disability in itself, although a number of people with cerebral palsy may also have a learning or behavioural disability as well as another condition, syndrome or disability. Cerebral Palsy itself is a lifelong condition that can not be cured. However the effects of Cerebral Palsy on the body and muscles can improve with the input of therapy e.g. physiotherapy, or may deteriorate with ageing.
Cerebral Palsy, often abbreviated C.P., is NOT a disease. C.P. is a brain injury that may occur in a person before, during, or shortly after birth. By definition it is only a problem in motor/movement function and development. The things that commonly cause C.P. include preterm birth, infection, lack of Oxygen or lack of adequate blood flow to the brain. Not all preterm infants will develop C.P. C.P. is a spectrum of a problem. Mild C.P. may result in no handicaps or disabilities at all. Severe C.P. may involve Mental, Motor, and Sensory problems (hearing and vision) depending on the cause. The most common types of C.P. involve ONLY stiffness (spastically) in the muscles of both legs (spastic deplegia) or involve the arm and leg on one side of the body (spastic hemiplegia). Mental/Cognitive function and abilities may be completely NORMAL. Physical limitations are often improved by Physical and Occupational Therapies. Speaking, Swallowing, and communication skills are worked on by a spe
