Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that affects movement and muscle tone. It is caused by damage to the developing brain, which can occur before, during, or shortly after birth. Common symptoms include tight or weak muscles, impaired motor skills, walking difficulties, and problems with coordination or speech. While there is no cure for cerebral palsy, treatment focuses on helping individuals gain independence through physical, occupational, and speech therapy as well as braces, walkers, or wheelchairs. Creating an inclusive classroom environment that meets the specific needs of students with cerebral palsy is also important for their education and development.

1. CEREBRAL PALSY
BY: JESSICA ROLEN

2. WHAT IS CEREBRAL PALSY?
• CP is a brain disorder
that affects muscle
tone, movement, and
motor skills.
• Cerebral means having
to do with the brain
• Palsy means weakness
or problems using
muscles
CP is one of the most common
congenital disorders of childhood
500,000 children and adults in the
U.S. have CP

3. WHAT CAUSES CEREBRAL PALSY?
• CP is caused by brain
damage before or
during birth.
• This damage can
also occur during the
first 2 years of a
child’s life.
• Infections, maternal
health
problems, genetic
disorders, or
something else that
interferes with brain
development
• In some cases CP
can be cause by lack
of oxygen to the
brain

4. WHAT CAUSES CEREBRAL PALSY:
CONTINUED
• Premature infants have a slightly higher risk of
developing CP.
• CP can also occur during early infancy as a result of
several conditions, including:
•
•
•
•
•
Bleeding in the brain
Brain infections
Head injury
Infections in the mother during pregnancy
Severe jaundice

5. TYPES OF CEREBRAL PALSY
• Spastic
• Dyskinetic
• Ataxic
• Mixture

6. SYMPTOMS OF CEREBRAL PALSY
• Symptoms are usually seen before a child is 2 years
old and can sometimes begin as early as 3 months.
• Parents may notice their child is delayed in
reaching and in developmental stages such as
sitting, rolling, crawling, or walking.
• There are several different types of CP so, there may
sometimes be a mixture of symptoms.

7. SYMPTOMS OF SPASTIC CEREBRAL
PALSY
• Tightness of muscle. Muscle may not stretch. May
tighten up over time.
• Abnormal walk
• Joints are tight
• Muscle weakness or loss of movement
• These symptoms may affect one arm or leg, one
side of the body, both legs, or both arms and legs.

8. SYMPTOMS IN OTHER TYPES OF
CEREBRAL PALSY
• Abnormal movements of hands, feet, arms, or legs
while awake
• Tremors
• Unsteady gait
• Loss of coordination
• Floppy muscles and joints that move around to
much.

9. OTHER SYMPTOMS OF CEREBRAL
PALSY
Other brain and nervous
system symptoms
• Decreased intelligence
or learning disabilities
are common
• Speech
problems(dysarthria)
• Hearing and vision
problems
• Seizures
• Pain
Eating and digestive
symptoms
• Difficulty sucking or
feeding infants, or
chewing and
swallowing.
• Problems swallowing
• Vomiting or
constipations

10. TESTS
• Full neurological exam is critical
• In older people, testing cognitive function is
important
• Test that may be performed:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Blood tests
CT scan of the head
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Hearing screen
MRI of the head
Vision testing

11. TREATMENT FOR CEREBRAL PALSY
• There is no cure for CP
• The goal of treatment is to help the person be as
independent as possible
• Treatment requires a team approach including:
• Primary care doctor, dentist, social
worker, nurses, occupational, physical, and speech
therapists
• Other specialist include: neurologist, rehabilitation
physician, pulmonologist, and gastroenterologist
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, orthopedic
help, or other treatments may be needed with daily
activities and care

12. TREATMENT
Self and home care
• Getting enough food
and nutrition
• Keeping the home safe
• Performing exercises
• Practicing proper
bowel care
• Protecting joints from
injury
Communication and
Learning
• Glasses
• Hearing aids
• Muscle and bone
braces
• Walking aids
• Wheelchairs

13. OTHER TREATMENTS FOR CEREBRAL
PALSY
Medication
Surgery
• Anticonvulsants:
prevent or reduce the
frequency of seizures
• Botulinum: toxin to help
with spasticity and
drooling
• Muscle relaxants:
reduce tremor and
spasticity
• Control gastro
esophageaul reflux
• Cut certain nerves from
spinal cord
• Place feeding tubes
• Release joint
contractures

14. MEETING CEREBRAL PALSY NEEDS IN
THE CLASSROOM
• Communication aids
such as computers with
attached voice
synthesizers should be
explored in order to
support a child’s
development.
• If a child has hearing
problems placing them
in the from of the
classroom would be
best for them.

15. CLASSROOM SETUP
• Access to the classroom environment is critical to
creating an inclusive classroom setting.
• Classroom arrangement:
• Moving furniture for students with walkers or wheelchairs so
they can maneuver in and out of learning centers
• Make sure items are reachable for all children
• Modify classroom activities to meet the needs of your
students
This is essential to creating a supportive and accessible
environment for children with CP.

16. TEACHER EXPECTATION FOR A CHILD
WITH CEREBRAL PALSY
• Teacher expectations for a child with cerebral palsy
will depend on the child and the child’s IEP.
• Enlist professional to help assess child’s specific
educational strengths and needs.
• Children with CP are limited in their ability to
communicate. Because of this, they are sometimes
deemed to have less intellectual ability than they
actually do.

17. MORE INFO. AND HELP
In Knoxville
• Cerebral Palsy Center
• http://www.cpcenter.o
rg/helping.html
CCD
• http://www.cdc.gov/n
cbddd/cp/facts.html
United Cerebral Palsy
• http://ucp.org

18. REFERENCES
• http://cerebralpalsyworld.com/cp_education.aspx
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0
001734/#adam_000716.disease.symptoms
• http://www.teachnology.com/teachers/special_ed/disabilities/cp/
• http://depts.washington.edu/hscenter/sites/default
/files/03_resources/08_children_special_needs/docu
ments/cerebral_palsy.pdf
• http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/cerebr
al_palsy.html#