Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is caused by an injury to the brain before and/or during birth, and effects the ability to use muscles. The injury can be caused by the mother having an infection, or sustaining an injury while being pregnancy. Cerebral Palsy (CP) is not a disease or illness and cannot be spread. A person can grow out of disabilites such as ADD and ADHD, but Cerebral Palsy can not be out grown.
There are also different types of Cerebral Palsy: Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Ataxic Cerebral Palsy, Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, Mixed Cerebral Palsy, Quadriplegia, Hemiplegia, and Diplegia. The last three Quadriplegia, Hemiplegia, and Diplegia deal with having CP in different parts of your body.

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

This form of cerebral palsy gets its name from the jerking movements of tight muscles.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

This form of cerebral palsy has the characteristics of being unsteady and tremoring while attempting to do precise tasks because of loose muscles.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

This form of cerebral palsy is a mixture of both Spastic and Ataxic Cerebral Palsy. Sometimes the muscle tone if tight, and sometimes loose.

Mixed Cerebral Palsy

This form of cerebral palsy causes someone to have tight muscles in some areas and loose muscles in others.

Quadriplegia

This form of cerebral palsy refers to having CP in your arms and legs, causing the person to have trouble moving around.

Hemiplegia

This form of cerebral palsy refers to having CP in only one side of your body, which may cause a person to limp.

Diplegia

This form of cerebral palsy refers to having CP in your legs causing you to have trouble walking and moving around.

Most kids with cerebral palsy have have speech problems, learning problems and seizures. The speech problems are cause by not being able to properly control your lips, tongue and mouth. The learning problems don't hinder them from learning, it just causes them to learn at a slower pace. The seizures are caused by abnormal activity in their brains and special medicine can be used to hinder this problem.

CP Glossary

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Be sure to check out our cerebral palsy links page to find links to site where you can learn more about cerebral palsy.