Cerebral palsy: Definition, Associated Problems, Risk factors, S & S, Types, Diagnosis.

1. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a physical disability thataffects movement and posture.
Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a group of disorders affectinga person’s ability to move. It is a
permanent life-longcondition ,
It is due to damage to the developing brain either duringpregnancy or shortly after birth.
Cerebral palsy affects people in different ways and can affect body movement, musclecontrol, muscle
coordination,muscletone, reflex, posture and balance.
Associated Problems
People who have cerebral palsy may also have;
epilepsy – Can't walk – Can't talk - Sleep disorders - Vision impairment- Intellectual Disability
HearingLoss - JointProblems - Bladder control issues - learning impairments
Causes; unknown
Risk factors;
Prenatal risk factors
Placenta abruption - Insufficient oxygen reaching the fetus
Intra-uterineinfections:rubella,cytomegalovirus and toxoplasmosiscan causebrain damageand
resultin cerebral palsy .
PIH Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension
Thrombophilia –Drugs - Maternal malnutrition - Chromosomal abnormalities
RH or A-B-O blood type incompatibility can cause severe jaundice and brain damage, resulting in
cerebral palsy.
Breech birth
Perinatal risk factors
Asphyxia (the causeof most cases of cerebral palsy) - Very low birth weight
Hyperbilirubinaemia - Multiple gestation – Seizures - Prematurity
Postnatal risk factors
Encephalopathy - Head trauma - Brain infections, (likeencephalitisand meningitis)
Jaundice - Cerebral hemorrhage
S & S
Low muscletone - Stiff muscles
Lack of musclecoordination (ataxia) - Difficulty with suckingor eating
Delays in speech development or difficulty speaking -Tremors or involuntary movements
Poor musclecontrol,reflexes and posture -Delayed development
Feeding or swallowingdifficulties - Preference to use one sideof their body
Difficulty with vision and hearing - Intellectual disabilities
Seizures - Urinary incontinence

2. Types;
1. spastic
The most common form of cerebral palsy
Hemiplegia: One armand one leg on the same sideof the body (hemiplegia) are affected
Diplegia(paraplegia); both legs are affected.
Monoplegia: Only one armor leg is affected.
Quadriplegia: Both arms and both legs are affected. Usually thetrunk and muscles that control
the mouth, tongue, This makes eating and talkingdifficult.
Triplegia: Either both arms and one leg or both legs and one arm areaffected.
Pentraplagia: all four limbs,head,and neck areaffected.
2. Dyskinetic CP. (involuntary slow movements, which usually affects the hands, feet,arms
and legs)
3. Ataxic CP. This type of CP is rare. – ( S&S; Hypotonia Tremors)
Diagnosis;
 Blood tests
 Computed tomography (also called CT scan). This test uses special X-raysto make a pictureof
your baby’s brain.
 Electroencephalogram (also called EEG). This test records electrical activity in your baby’s brain.
It can help diagnoseepilepsy,which sometimes happens in children with CP. Epilepsy is a seizure
disorder that affects how the nerve cells in your brain work.
 Magnetic resonance imaging (also called MRI). This test uses radio waves and magnets to make
a picture of your baby’s brain.
 Ultrasound. This test uses sound waves and a computer screen to show a pictureof your baby
insidethe womb.