Cerebral Palsy

There are 3 types of Cerebral Palsy:

1. Spasticity: This means the person has stiff muscles.

2. Dyskinesia: This means the person makes movements that they cannot control.

3. Ataxia: This means the person makes shaky movements and has problems with balance and coordination.

Cerebral Palsy can also be categorised based on what part of the body is affected:

1. Quadriplegia: This affects the person’s arms, legs, and muscles of the torso, face and mouth.

2. Diplegia: This affects the person’s legs more than their arms.

3. Hemiplegia: This affects one side of the person’s body.

4. Monoplegic: This affects only one body part.

5. Paraplegic: This affects the person’s legs.

Cerebral Palsy involves a wide range of symptoms and severities which means that every person will present differently. 

Signs in children usually appear in the first 2 years of age.

Symptoms in children and adults can include:

• Making jerky movements

• Muscle stiffness

• Muscle weakness

• Making uncontrolled body movements

• Muscle spasms

• Difficulty with balance and coordination

• Difficulty walking

• Unusual posture

• Slow movements

• Difficulty with swallowing, sucking or eating

• Having an Intellectual Disability

• Limited speaking or not speaking

• Delayed development

  • Not sitting, crawling, or walking

• Physical features

  • Small size

• Seizures or epilepsy 

• Gastrointestinal issues, such as constipation

• Scoliosis (a curved spine)

• Hip dysplasia (when the bones in the hip joint don’t fit correctly)

• Problems with the bladder

• Problems with eyesight

• Problems with hearing

Cerebral Palsy is caused by changes to brain development or damage to the brain which often occurs during pregnancy, birth or shortly after birth.

Some reasons for this can include:

• An infection during pregnancy that affects the unborn baby

• Being born prematurely

• Lack of oxygen to the brain during birth

• Traumatic head injury

• Stroke

Cerebral Palsy can be diagnosed after birth by a GP who will do a detailed examination.

While there is no cure for Cerebral Palsy, diagnosis and specifically tailored treatment are important for improving quality of life.

Services available to help with Cerebral Palsy include:

Paediatrician: A Paediatrician can help to treat and provide routine childhood care.

Physiotherapist: A Physiotherapist can help improve posture, balance, and movement.

Psychology: A Psychologist can help to develop emotion regulation skills.

Positive Behaviour Support: A Behaviour Support Practitioner can help to understand behaviours of concern, provide strategies, and build skills.

Occupational Therapy: An Occupational Therapist can support independence and participation in daily life.

Speech Pathology: A Speech Pathologist will focus on developing communication skills.

1. 1 in every 700 babies in Australia are born with Cerebral Palsy.

2. The word “cerebral” means brain, and the word “palsy” means problems with movement.

3. The brain injury causing Cerebral Palsy will never change, however some symptoms may become more or less clear over time.

Better Health

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/cerebral-palsy

Cerebral Palsy Alliance

https://cerebralpalsy.org.au/cerebral-palsy/

Cleveland Clinic

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8717-cerebral-palsy

Health Direct

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cerebral-palsy

John Hopkins Medicine

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/cerebral-palsy

Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cerebral-palsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20353999

My CP Guide

https://www.mycpguide.org.au/about-cp

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/cerebral-palsy

Nemours Kids Health

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cerebral-palsy.html

Raising Children Network

https://raisingchildren.net.au/disability/guide-to-disabilities/assessment-diagnosis/cerebral-palsy#diagnosis-and-tests-for-cerebral-palsy-nav-title

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/cerebral-palsy/about/index.html