Causes, clinical features, management and prevention of cerebral palsy Custom Search The term cerebral palsy does not refer to any specific disease. The term includes many abnormalities of motor function (alteration in muscle tone, weakness, involuntary movements and impairment of co-ordination) all resulting from non progressive damage to the brain occurring before birth, during delivery or in the perinatal period. It is important to note that the term rules out all progressive diseases of the nervous system. Progressive diseases of the nervous system are those which become worse gradually often resulting early death. The damage to the brain can result from several causes like congenital abnormalities of the brain, bleeding into the brain tissue due to any cause, severe birth asphyxia (baby does not breathe properly immediately after delivery leading to decreased oxygen supply to the brain resulting in damage ), meningitis, congenital infections like cytomegalovirus infection or congenital toxoplasmosis, hypoglycemia in the newborn and severe jaundice in newborn causing brain damage. Clinical features: Depending on the type of motor abnormality the disorder is classified into different types. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type and accounts for nearly three fourth of all patients. In this type there is an increase in muscle tone. When an attempt is made to bend the spastic limb there is abnormal resistance to movement. One or more limbs may be involved and different terms are used to describe the extent of involvement-monoplegia (one limb-mono means one), hemiplegia (upper and lower limb on the same side of body-hemi means half) but arm more affected, diplegia-leg more affected then upper limbs, paraplegia (both lower limbs affected but arm not affected) quadriplegia (all four limbs affected equally). The second most common type is ataxic palsy. Ataxia means lack of coordination. If a child with ataxia is asked to tough a specific spot will the tip of his finger he will find it extremely difficult and goes off the target. Another type is characterized by involuntary movements and is known as athetoid cerebral palsy. Affected children may have other abnormalities depending on the extent of damage to the brain. Seizure, mental retardation, speech disorder, deafness and blindness can occur with varying severity. Microcephaly (small head) is a common finding. Custom Search
Page last reviewed on 20th May 2010
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