CEREBRAL PALSY
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is not one disease with a single origin, like chicken pox or measles. It is a group of disorders that are related but probably stem from a number of different causes. When physicians diagnose Cerebral Palsy in an individual child, they look at risk factors, the symptoms, the mother’s and child’s medical history, and the onset of the disorder.
About 10 to 20 percent of children who have Cerebral Palsy acquire the disorder after birth, while many more cases are caused by an incident that occurs during pregnancy or birth. Acquired Cerebral Palsy is the result of brain damage in the first few months or years of life. A common causes of brain damage is infection such as bacterial meningitis, viral encephalitis, or even jaundice. Another common cause is head injury such as from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse. When a baby is “born” with Cerebral Palsy, the causes may be due to avoidable or unavoidable incidents that occurred during pregnancy or birth.
Learn about Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a broad term used to describe a group of chronic movement or posture disorders. “Cerebral” refers to the brain, while “Palsy” refers to a physical disorder, such as a lack of muscle control. Cerebral Palsy is not caused by problems with the muscles or nerves, but rather with the brain’s ability to adequately control the body. Cerebral Palsy can be caused by injury during birth, although sometimes it is the result of later damage to the brain. Symptoms usually appear in the first few years of life and once they appear, they generally do not worsen over time. Disorders are classified into four categories:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common diagnosis. If your child’s CP is “spastic,” her muscles are rigid and jerky, and she has difficulty getting around. There are three types of spastic Cerebral Palsy:
Athetoid dyskinetic is the second most frequently diagnosed type of Cerebral Palsy. Your child will have normal intelligence, but her body will be totally affected by muscle problems. Her muscle tone can be weak or tight, and she might have trouble walking, sitting, or speaking clearly. She may also have trouble controlling her facial muscles and therefore drool.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
This is the least diagnosed type of Cerebral Palsy. Your child will have trouble tying his shoes, buttoning his shirt, cutting with scissors, and doing other tasks that require fine motor skills. He might walk with his feet farther apart than normal and have trouble with his balance and coordination. Your child may also suffer from “intention tremors,” a shaking that begins with a voluntary movement. For example, your child may reach for a toy, and then his hand and arm will start to shake. As he gets closer to the toy, the tremor worsens.
Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy
Unlike with other types of CP, you will notice that your baby has muscle control problems early in life. Her head seems floppy, and she will not be able to control it when sitting up. Her motor skills will be developmentally delayed.
It is suspected that this type of Cerebral Palsy is caused by brain damage or malformations that occur while a baby’s brain is still developing.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
If your child does not “fit” into one of the above diagnoses, your doctor will consider him “mixed.” This is quite common.
Congenital Cerebral Palsy
If your child is diagnosed with congenital Cerebral Palsy, be aware that this is not a “type” of palsy, but rather it is a term meaning “birth defect.” In other words, your child’s doctor is saying that he developed Cerebral Palsy during development. It is not a condition that your child inherited from you or your husband or partner. And it is not caused by a medical error.
Erb’s Palsy
If any type of Cerebral Palsy can be attributed to a birthing accident, it is Erb’s palsy (brachial plexus palsy). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:
Although injuries can occur at any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen when a baby’s shoulders become impacted during delivery and the brachial plexus nerves stretch or tear.
If your baby has Erb’s palsy, he will have no muscle control in his arm; the arm will be limp and have no feeling. Based on the nerve area that is affected, there are four types of Erb’s Palsy:
Cerebral Palsy cannot be cured, but treatment can often improve a child’s capabilities. In fact, progress due to medical research means that many patients can enjoy near-normal lives if their neurological problems are properly managed. There is no standard therapy that works for all patients. Instead, the physician must work with a team of health care professionals first to identify a child’s unique needs and impairments and then to create an individual treatment plan that addresses them.
Some approaches that can be included in this plan are drugs to control seizures and muscle spasms, special braces to compensate for muscle imbalance, surgery, mechanical aids to help overcome impairments, counseling for emotional and psychological needs, and physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and occupational and speech therapy. In general, the earlier diagnosis and treatment begins, the better chance a child has of overcoming developmental disabilities or learning new ways to accomplish difficult tasks.
Click here for more about Cerebral Palsy
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is not one disease with a single origin, like chicken pox or measles. It is a group of disorders that are related but probably stem from a number of different causes. When physicians diagnose Cerebral Palsy in an individual child, they look at risk factors, the symptoms, the mother’s and child’s medical history, and the onset of the disorder.
About 10 to 20 percent of children who have Cerebral Palsy acquire the disorder after birth, while many more cases are caused by an incident that occurs during pregnancy or birth. Acquired Cerebral Palsy is the result of brain damage in the first few months or years of life. A common causes of brain damage is infection such as bacterial meningitis, viral encephalitis, or even jaundice. Another common cause is head injury such as from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse. When a baby is “born” with Cerebral Palsy, the causes may be due to avoidable or unavoidable incidents that occurred during pregnancy or birth.
Learn about Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a broad term used to describe a group of chronic movement or posture disorders. “Cerebral” refers to the brain, while “Palsy” refers to a physical disorder, such as a lack of muscle control. Cerebral Palsy is not caused by problems with the muscles or nerves, but rather with the brain’s ability to adequately control the body. Cerebral Palsy can be caused by injury during birth, although sometimes it is the result of later damage to the brain. Symptoms usually appear in the first few years of life and once they appear, they generally do not worsen over time. Disorders are classified into four categories:
- Spastic (difficult or stiff movement)
- Ataxic (loss of depth perception and balance)
- Athetoid/Dyskinetic (uncontrolled or involuntary movements)
- Mixed (a mix of two or more of the above)
Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common diagnosis. If your child’s CP is “spastic,” her muscles are rigid and jerky, and she has difficulty getting around. There are three types of spastic Cerebral Palsy:
- Spastic diplegia — Your child’s leg and hip muscles are tight, and his legs cross at the knees, making it difficult to walk. This kind of movement is frequently referred to as “scissoring.”
- Spastic hemiplegia — Only one side of your child’s body is stiff. Her arms or hands might be more affected than her legs. On the affected side, her arm and leg may not develop normally. She may also require leg braces.
- Spastic quadriplegia — The severest of the three, spastic quadriplegia means that your child is more likely to have mental retardation if diagnosed as quadriplegia. His legs, arms, and body are affected. It will be difficult for him to walk and talk, and he may also experience seizures.
Athetoid dyskinetic is the second most frequently diagnosed type of Cerebral Palsy. Your child will have normal intelligence, but her body will be totally affected by muscle problems. Her muscle tone can be weak or tight, and she might have trouble walking, sitting, or speaking clearly. She may also have trouble controlling her facial muscles and therefore drool.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
This is the least diagnosed type of Cerebral Palsy. Your child will have trouble tying his shoes, buttoning his shirt, cutting with scissors, and doing other tasks that require fine motor skills. He might walk with his feet farther apart than normal and have trouble with his balance and coordination. Your child may also suffer from “intention tremors,” a shaking that begins with a voluntary movement. For example, your child may reach for a toy, and then his hand and arm will start to shake. As he gets closer to the toy, the tremor worsens.
Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy
Unlike with other types of CP, you will notice that your baby has muscle control problems early in life. Her head seems floppy, and she will not be able to control it when sitting up. Her motor skills will be developmentally delayed.
It is suspected that this type of Cerebral Palsy is caused by brain damage or malformations that occur while a baby’s brain is still developing.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
If your child does not “fit” into one of the above diagnoses, your doctor will consider him “mixed.” This is quite common.
Congenital Cerebral Palsy
If your child is diagnosed with congenital Cerebral Palsy, be aware that this is not a “type” of palsy, but rather it is a term meaning “birth defect.” In other words, your child’s doctor is saying that he developed Cerebral Palsy during development. It is not a condition that your child inherited from you or your husband or partner. And it is not caused by a medical error.
Erb’s Palsy
If any type of Cerebral Palsy can be attributed to a birthing accident, it is Erb’s palsy (brachial plexus palsy). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:
Although injuries can occur at any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen when a baby’s shoulders become impacted during delivery and the brachial plexus nerves stretch or tear.
If your baby has Erb’s palsy, he will have no muscle control in his arm; the arm will be limp and have no feeling. Based on the nerve area that is affected, there are four types of Erb’s Palsy:
- Avulsion — the nerve completely separates from the spine.
- Rupture — the nerve is torn throughout but not from the spine.
- Praxis/stretch — the nerve is damaged but not torn and could heal on its own.
- Neuroma — scar tissue from an injury puts pressure on the nerve.
Cerebral Palsy cannot be cured, but treatment can often improve a child’s capabilities. In fact, progress due to medical research means that many patients can enjoy near-normal lives if their neurological problems are properly managed. There is no standard therapy that works for all patients. Instead, the physician must work with a team of health care professionals first to identify a child’s unique needs and impairments and then to create an individual treatment plan that addresses them.
Some approaches that can be included in this plan are drugs to control seizures and muscle spasms, special braces to compensate for muscle imbalance, surgery, mechanical aids to help overcome impairments, counseling for emotional and psychological needs, and physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and occupational and speech therapy. In general, the earlier diagnosis and treatment begins, the better chance a child has of overcoming developmental disabilities or learning new ways to accomplish difficult tasks.
Click here for more about Cerebral Palsy