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About Cerebral Palsy
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Cerebral Palsy (CP) is caused by an injury to the brain which usually happens around the time of birth, as a result of difficult or premature birth or illness contracted during early pregnancy.
CP 'jumbles' the messages between the brain and muscles and ffects a person's control of movement. This ranges from slight (barely noticeable to other people) to severe, with multiple disabilities.
There are three forms of CP:-
A - SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY
Control over muscles is seriously reduced, leaving them permanently tight, tense and weak. Spastic CP is usually caused by damaged nerve cells in the outer layers of the brain, called the cortex.
B - ATHETOID CEREBRAL PALSY
Muscles rapidly change from relaxed to tense with many unwanted movements. Athetoid CP is the result of damage to the mid brain, known as the basal ganglia.
C - ATAXIC CEREBRAL PALSY
This form of CP causes lack of balance, unsteady gait, shaky hand movements, and jerky speach. Ataxic CP is a result of damage to the cerebellum at the base of the brain.
There is no cure for CP but appropriate treatment from an early age and continued support can reduce the effects throughout life
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