Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy
CP is a disorder of aberrant control of movement and posture, appearing early in life secondary to a CNS lesion or dysfunction that is NOT a result of a progressive or degenerative brain disease. In other words, CP is caused by a static brain dysfunction (also called static encephalopathy).
It is believed that CP is due to a defect in a developing brain, a lesion that may have had its onset in prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal period. Thus, causes of CP may be manifold.
“Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement and posture due to a defect or lesion of the immature brain” Bax p.295
The brain lesion or defect is non-progressive and causes variable impairment of the co-ordination of muscle action, with rsulting inability of the child to maintain normal posture and perform normal movements. This centre motor handicap is frequently associated with affected speech, vision, and hearing with various types of perceptual disturbances some degree of mental retardation and or epilepsy.
Here are some common etiologies manifesting as CP:
Prenatal (~85% of total) Perinatal Postnatal
extreme prematurity infection infection hyperarginemia hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy trauma genetic disease trauma CO poisoning brain malformation kernicterus toxic ingestion hydrocephalus meningitis stroke toxemia maternal coagulopathy placental abruption
4 types of cerebral palsy include:
Spastic :
Spastic is (70-80% of all) Defined as increased muscle tone of clasp knife quality, increased reflexes with tendency to clonus, and tendency for contractures; Flexion contractures at elbow, difficulty with pronating or supinating forearms; Difficulty with long sitting because of hamstring contracture difficulty changing diapers because of decreased range in abduction of hips; Scissoring in lower extremities, toe walking gait
Caution: idiopathic toe walking with ability to walk, climb and
CP is a disorder of aberrant control of movement and posture, appearing early in life secondary to a CNS lesion or dysfunction that is NOT a result of a progressive or degenerative brain disease. In other words, CP is caused by a static brain dysfunction (also called static encephalopathy).
It is believed that CP is due to a defect in a developing brain, a lesion that may have had its onset in prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal period. Thus, causes of CP may be manifold.
“Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement and posture due to a defect or lesion of the immature brain” Bax p.295
The brain lesion or defect is non-progressive and causes variable impairment of the co-ordination of muscle action, with rsulting inability of the child to maintain normal posture and perform normal movements. This centre motor handicap is frequently associated with affected speech, vision, and hearing with various types of perceptual disturbances some degree of mental retardation and or epilepsy.
Here are some common etiologies manifesting as CP:
Prenatal (~85% of total) Perinatal Postnatal
extreme prematurity infection infection hyperarginemia hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy trauma genetic disease trauma CO poisoning brain malformation kernicterus toxic ingestion hydrocephalus meningitis stroke toxemia maternal coagulopathy placental abruption
4 types of cerebral palsy include:
Spastic :
Spastic is (70-80% of all) Defined as increased muscle tone of clasp knife quality, increased reflexes with tendency to clonus, and tendency for contractures; Flexion contractures at elbow, difficulty with pronating or supinating forearms; Difficulty with long sitting because of hamstring contracture difficulty changing diapers because of decreased range in abduction of hips; Scissoring in lower extremities, toe walking gait
Caution: idiopathic toe walking with ability to walk, climb and