Cerebral Palsy

Brain Tumors
Brain tumors are common, as the brain is a frequent site of tumor formation.

Symptoms of brain tumor:
1) Persistent and recurring headaches.
2) Progressive weakness of an arm or leg or perhaps more than one limb at a time.
3) Disturbances in sensation such as numbness.
4) Impairment of vision such as double vision or loss of sight in one eye.
5) Dizziness or vertigo
6) Convulsions
7) Sudden episodes of headache and vomiting
One symptom to note is headaches. Headaches are not indicative of brain tumors. Headaches alone, unaccompanied by some of the other symptoms listed above, are rarely caused by brain tumors.
Diagnosis of brain tumor is done by first, careful examinations by either a neurologist or a neurosurgeon who will then obtain x-rays of the skull and a CAT scan. The CAT scan is extremely sensitive and can usually detect a tumor undetectable by other means. These studies can be performed without hospitalization. Some forms of brain tumors are curable by neurosurgery.

Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain. Symptoms of encephalitis include headache, fever, vomiting, paralysis, delirium, convulsions, stupor and in some cases, coma. Encephalitis, sometimes called "sleeping sickness", is caused by any one of a number of viruses. It may also occur as a complication of measles, whooping cough, or mumps. Infrequently it may occur with severe infections such as pneumonia and typhoid fever, or as a toxic reaction accompanying any disease with prolonged high fever. Encephalitis can be seen as an epidemic form, most often during war periods and in war camps and also in localized areas involving a town or a city. Encephalitis does not have any specific treatment but majority of patients will recover completely. However, when the disease exists in epidemic form, there may be a considerable initial mortality. There may also be partial recovery in some patients who will be left with serious mental deficiencies. Some patients who have recovered from encephalitis may develop tremors, palsies and various other disorders later on.

Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the coverings of the spinal cord and the brain. Symptoms include abrupt onset of fever, severe headache, stiff neck, and often, coma. On tapping the spine, inflammation may be discovered in the spinal fluid and examination of the spinal fluid under the microscope will reveal inflammatory cells or even the germ that has caused the meningitis. Some meningitis are caused by infection with pus-forming bacteria; others may be caused due to an infection spreading from the middle ear of the sinuses. Other types of acute meningitis are caused by viruses. There are still other types of meningitis occurring with tuberculosis and syphilis. Treatment for meningitis depends completely on upon the causative agent. Those types caused by pus-forming bacteria can be successfully treated with antibiotics or with sulfa drugs. Most of the types caused by viruses must be treated symptomically. Special treatment is now available for meningitis caused by tuberculosis or syphilis. Meningitis can be cured. A great majority of cases can now be cured by the newer drugs that are available.

Syphilis of the Nervous System
In former years, syphilis was a common cause of diseases of the nervous system. Modern treatment of syphilis has been so successful that this is a rare disease today. One variety which is still often seen is syphilitic meningitis.
Diseases related to syphilis include:
1) Paresis (general paralysis) is a disease encountered much more frequently years ago when syphilis involved the brain itself. It resulted chiefly in a mental disorder.
2) Tabes or locomotor ataxia is a disease in which syphilis mainly affect the spinal cord and leads to a staggering gait.
Syphilis of the nervous system can be treated effectively today. Antibiotics are very effective in treating this disease if it is diagnosed during its earlier stages.

On to the next disorder- Cerebrovascular Accidents ("Strokes")

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