Category Archives: Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (also called CP) is a group of conditions that affects the parts of your brain that control your muscles. This can cause problems with movement, posture (standing up straight) and balance. Some but not all children with CP also may have other conditions, like intellectual and developmental disabilities. These are problems with how the brain works that can cause a person to have trouble or delays in physical development, learning, communicating, taking care of himself or getting along with others. About 1 in 300 children (less than 1 percent) has CP. Most children are diagnosed by the time theyre 2 years old. CP is the most common cause of movement problems in childhood. There are four kinds of CP that are based on the type of movement problems a child has. Spastic means tight or stiff muscles, or muscles that spasm (get tight). This is the most common kind of CP. About 4 in 5 children (80 percent) with CP have spastic CP. These children have stiff muscles and may have awkward body movements. Signs and symptoms of spastic CP include: There are three kinds of spastic CP: Yes. Other kinds of CP include: CP can be different … Continue reading →

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a broad term that includes a group of physical and sometimes cognitive disabilities that interfere with your childs physical function. It is a lifelong condition that affects communication between the brain and muscles, causing trouble with a variety of activities including speaking, eating, sitting, walking and using the hands. CP is usually diagnosed in early childhood and, while there is no cure, a wide range of treatments and therapies are available to help your child achieve greater independence. Cerebral palsy is the result of an injury to an immature brain often due to a stroke, infection or accident. Other causes can include brain malformation or low oxygen. Premature babies have a higher risk of developing CP. What are the types of cerebral palsy? Spastic: The most common type of movement disorder in people with CP is spasticity. This refers to tightness or resistance to stretch. Additionally, children with spastic CP have weakness and trouble coordinating their movements. Spasticity can affect one or more areas of your childs body, making muscles tight and difficult to use. Treatment likely would include therapy, bracing and possibly oral or injectable medication. Sometimes children with spastic CP can benefit from an … Continue reading →

Cerebral palsy (CP) is used as a blanket term to cover nine forms of muscle and movement difficulties caused by brain damage or malformations in the brain structure. The disabilities caused by CP range from so mild that they are hardly noticeable to severe. Hypotonic cerebral palsy is a form of the disorder marked by floppy (overly relaxed) muscles; hypotonic CP is rarer than the spastic forms of the disorder. Hypotonia means less muscle tone. It can be caused by several factors: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Downs syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, Tav-Sachs disease, and Prader-Willi syndrome. Hypotonic cerebral palsy is hypotonia which is caused by brain damage or brain malformation; it is generally congenital (present at birth), but an injury shortly after birth can also cause it. People with hypotonic cerebral palsy have noticeably floppy muscles and no control of their head. The arms and legs hang down like a rag doll. Joints may be lax. Reflexes may be poor, and walking is usually difficult. The condition causes posture problems and may cause breathing and swallowing difficulties. Speech may also be difficult, although intelligence is usually unaffected. Like other categories of CP, hypotonic cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage or … Continue reading →

Spastic diplegia cerebral palsy is a form of cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that usually appears in infancy or early childhood, and permanently affects muscle control and coordination. Affected people have increased muscle tone which leads to spasticity (stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes) in the legs. The arm muscles are generally less affected or not affected at all. Other signs and symptoms may include delayed motor or movement milestones (i.e. rolling over, sitting, standing); walking on toes; and a "scissored" gait (style of walking).[1][2] As with other types of cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia is usually caused by brain damage, which generally happens before, during, or shortly after birth. Babies born prematurely and with low birth weight are at a higher risk of developing cerebral palsy. The exact cause is often unknown; however, the condition has been associated with genetic abnormalities; congenital brain malformations; maternal infections or fevers; and/or injury before, during or shortly after birth.[1][3][4] There is no cure, and treatment options vary depending on the signs and symptoms present in each person and the severity of the condition, and may include physical, occupational and speech therapy, medication and surgery.[1][5][6] Last updated: 8/7/2018 See the article here: Spastic … Continue reading →

Individuals who have cerebral palsy often need help from their families and medical specialists throughout their lives. Many types of healthcare professionals are involved in treating those with CP. Depending upon the type of CP your child has, as well as any additional impairments, the medical treatment team may include: Physical therapy. Physical therapy may be recommended shortly after the diagnosis is made in order to help your child learn skills such as sitting, walking, or using a wheelchair. It also may help improve muscle strength, balance, and coordination, as well as prevent muscles from becoming too tight. Physical therapy may involve fun activities to tone muscles, like swimming and horseback riding. Braces, splints, and casts. Using braces, splints, or casts may improve range of motion in joints and joint stability, prevent contracture, and improve hand or leg function. Braces can compensate for muscle imbalance. Botox. This drug can be injected into spastic muscles to loosen them. It is especially helpful for children younger than 5 years old, and when used in combination with casting. Medication. Some medications (such as oral diazepam and baclofen) can control or prevent seizures or muscle spasms, ease muscle stiffness, or reduce abnormal movements. If … Continue reading →

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that causes physical disabilities (and cognitive impairments and epilepsy in some cases). Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls movement. CP often causes musculoskeletal issues as well (the impairments associated with CP result from muscles persistently being too contracted [in a majority of cases] or not contracted enough). This results in issues with fine motor coordination, tremors, joint and bone deformities, balance, and issues with walking. Each year, nearly 10,000youth are diagnosed with cerebral palsy, making it the most widespread disabling condition among children. While a large number of diagnoses are rooted in medical malpractice, few of the affected families will reach out for any legal advice or action. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of non-progressive motor conditions that cause physical disability. It is caused by damage to the motor control centers of the developing brain, whichcan occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or after birth up to about age three. Cerebral refers to the cerebrum, which is the affected area of the brain (although the disorder may involve other parts of the brain, such as the cerebellum), and palsy refers to a disorder of movement. Limitations in … Continue reading →

What is cerebral palsy (CP)? Cerebral palsy, also known as CP, is a term used to describe a group of chronic (long-lasting) conditions affecting body movement, posture and muscle coordination. This can cause activity restriction or disability. Cerebral palsy ranges in severity from mild and hardly detectable to very severe. The motor impairment can be accompanied by a seizure disorder and problems with sensation (feeling), cognition (thinking), respiratory dysfunction (breathing), communication and/or behavior. What does cerebral palsy mean? Quite simply, the word cerebral refers to the brain and palsy describes muscle weakness and poor control. CP is caused by disturbances to one or more areas of the brain. This usually happens while a baby is still in the womb, during or right after birth or during infancy. Damage to the motor areas of the brain disrupts the brains ability to adequately control movement and posture. Cerebral palsy is the most common developmental disability in the United States, affecting about four out of every 1,000 live births. Cerebral palsy is not progressive, which means it does not get worse. However, secondary conditions like muscle spasticity can get worse over time. As the muscle spasticity continues, progressive deformities of the muscles, bones … Continue reading →

Generally speaking, there are fourtypes of cerebral palsy, which are classified by location of brain damage, the type of movement impairment, and other symptoms the condition causes. These four main types of cerebral palsy, which are discussed in detail below include: Please read on to learn more about these types of cerebral palsy. It is also wise to see our section on the causes of cerebral palsy as it can help you understand why you or your child or loved one developed this condition. If medical negligence is the cause of cerebral palsy, it may be possible to seek lifetime compensation for your expenses, losses and suffering. Please contact our team of attorneys, which has a wealth of experience handling similar cases ofmedical malpractice. We can evaluate your case confidentially and free of charge to help you understand your legal rights and options. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type, accounting for 70 to 80 percent of all cases of cerebral palsy in the United States. This type of cerebral palsy occurs when brain damage affects the cerebral cortex, or the outer layer of the brain, either at birth or a very young age. Spastic cerebral palsy has a … Continue reading →

Kenneth F. Swaiman, MD Dr. Kenneth Swaiman is an internationally known child neurologist and EmeritusProfessor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School where he was the director of the Division of Child Neurology for several decades. He also served as Interim head of the Department of Neurology. During his tenure there, he was involved in the training of almost 100 pediatric neurologists from the United States and Canada, as well as many other countries. His biography is cited in Whos Who in America, Whos Who in the World, Whos Who in Science and Engineering, and The Best Doctors in America. Dr. Swaiman was the Chairman of the organizing committee and first President of the Child Neurology Society (CNS). He received the Hower award, the highest award of that society and the Founders Award at its 25th Anniversary meeting as well as The Lifetime Achievement Award for Neurologic Education by the American Academy of Neurology. As the chairman of the organizing committee of the Professors of Child Neurology, he was its first President and a prime mover and also first president of the Child Neurology Foundation. He was a member of the organizing committee of the International … Continue reading →

What is Cerebral Palsy? Cerebral palsy is a developmental disorder and leading cause of disability in young children. It affects approximately 500,000 children and adults, with around 8,000 babies and between 1,200 and 1,500 preschool-age children diagnosed each year. Cerebral palsy occurs as a result of a brain injury sustained during fetal development or birth. However, because the symptoms of CP affect a childs coordination and independent movement, the injury is not always diagnosed right away, especially when the symptoms are mild. Below you will find an interactive table of contents which will help you navigate our guide. Simply click on the section you are interested in and well take you right to that section. You can also click back to top next to the topics to be brought right back to this section. Parents usually notice that something is wrong when a child fails to reach developmental milestones such as This may lead to a diagnosis later in life, accounting for the children who are diagnosed as toddlers. Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the motor cortex of the brain. This is the part of the brain that affects muscle control and coordination. For this reason, children with … Continue reading →