Cerebral Palsy Information

Cerebral Palsy affects the brain's ability to properly control the body. "Cerebral" refers to the brain and "palsy" refers to a physical disorder. Information on Cerebral Palsy reveals that approximately 500,000 people in the United States have this condition and about 4,500 infants are born with it each year. Cerebral palsy is not contagious and it is not a progressive condition.

There are four types of Cerebral Palsy, Ataxic, Athetoid, Spastic and mixed (involving one or more of the above types).

Ataxic cerebral palsy: This is the rarest form of cerebral palsy. Ataxic cerebral palsy results in low muscle tone, causing limbs to appear floppy and loose and stems from damage to the spinal cord and cerebellum and affects the entire body. It disrupts balance and depth perception, resulting in poor coordination. Ataxic cerebral palsy causes "intention tremors," which begin with voluntary motion and increase dramatically. This effect of ataxic cerebral palsy becomes more pronounced when the individual is trying to hold something small. People with ataxic cerebral palsy take longer to complete tasks due to problems coordinating their movements. Ataxic cerebral palsy especially affects the fine motor skills-writing, for instance, becomes very difficult. Individuals with ataxic cerebral palsy often have trouble reaching for objects, as a result of their affected depth perception. Ataxic cerebral palsy can also cause jerky speech patterns. Ataxic cerebral palsy is the only form of cerebral palsy that worsens as the victim grows older.

Athetoid cerebral palsy (also called dyskinetic) results from damage to the cerebellum or basal ganglia. Patients with athetoid cerebral palsy have muscles that fluctuate between being too tight and too weak, causing protracted spasms. Athetoid cerebral palsy is characterized by slow, uncontrolled movements that resemble writhing. Patients with athetoid cerebral palsy have difficulty sitting or standing, due to their weak trunks. In more severe cases, athetoid cerebral palsy involves the muscles of the face, causing drooling and grimacing. Patients with athetoid cerebral palsy generally experience increased movements during periods of emotional distress. People with athetoid cerebral palsy have difficulty moving their hands to a certain spot or holding on to objects.

Spastic cerebral palsy refers to a specific set of physical symptoms related to abnormal muscle control. Spastic cerebral palsy represents one of three types of cerebral palsy: spastic, athetoid, or ataxic. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form, representing about 80% of the cerebral palsy population. Individuals with spastic cerebral palsy exhibit increased reflexes and muscle tone, tight muscles, and joint contractures. People with spastic cerebral palsy have poor balance and difficulty controlling body movements, especially in their arms and legs. Spastic cerebral palsy has a number of adverse effects, including constricted movement, limited flexibility, and deformed joints. Spastic cerebral palsy patients can develop severe deformities over time due to spastic muscles and limited use/flexibility.