March marks the awareness of Cerebral Palsy month
Posted on 10th March 2020
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral Palsy is a permanent neurological condition which affects normal movement, muscle tone, balance
March marks the awareness of Cerebral Palsy month
Posted on 10th March 2020
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral Palsy is a permanent neurological condition which affects normal movement, muscle tone, balance and co-ordination. In the UK, it is estimated that 1 in 400 children are born with Cerebral Palsy and that there are nearly 300,000 children who have been diagnosed with this condition.
How is Cerebral Palsy caused?
Cerebral Palsy is caused by an injury to the brain either before, during or after birth. An injury to the brain can occur in any one of the following ways:
Cerebral Palsy can be caused whilst the baby is still in the womb and the development of the brain may be affected by:
- Trauma to the baby’s brain such as a serious head injury
- A maternal infection such as rubella, chickenpox, cytomegalovirus or syphilis
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) where damage occurs in the white matter of the brain
During or shortly after birth, a baby’s brain can be damaged by:
- The baby’s brain being deprived of oxygen where the birth may be difficult (asphyxiation)
- Brain infections such as meningitis or encephalitis which can damage the motor functions of the brain
- Trauma to the brain during birth
- A low blood sugar level
Increased risk of Cerebral Palsy
The chances of a baby being born with Cerebral Palsy is increased where:
- There is a premature birth and the baby is born at 32 weeks
- A baby has a low birth-weight
- There are multiple births such as twins or triplets
- A mother has been smoking, drinking or consumed drugs during the course of her pregnancy
Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a motor related disorder which can cause a multitude of problems. Whilst Cerebral Palsy usually occurs at birth or shortly before birth, Cerebral Palsy can be difficult to diagnose in some cases and where there is a suspicion of Cerebral Palsy after birth, doctors will usually carry out investigations such as an Ultrasound, MRI or CT scan to confirm the diagnosis.
Early signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy ordinarily begin to show when the condition begins to impede on a child’s ability to reach certain developmental milestones such as:
- The inability to sit up alone, crawl or roll over
- Difficulty in being able to walk because of weakness in the arms and legs
- Issues with feeding and swallowing
Other common symptoms of Cerebral Palsy Include:
- Spasticity and stiffness of the muscles
- Problems with communication and speech
- Inability to fall asleep
- Urinary incontinence
- Learning disabilities
- Reduced vision and hearing loss
However, the degree and severity of symptoms is dependent on the type of Cerebral Palsy a child will have.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
The NHS categorises Cerebral Palsy into 4 different subtypes:
- Spastic Cerebral Palsy – This is the most common type of Cerebral Palsy which affects the movement, control and co-ordination of muscles, especially in the upper and lower limbs. Spastic Cerebral Palsy tends to reduce the range of movement in the body as the muscles are stiff and compressed. Symptoms include involuntary movement of the limbs and spasms.
- Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy – This is the second common type of Cerebral Palsy and occurs as a result of damage to the cerebellum or basal ganglia (central) parts of the brain whic