Cerebral palsy meaning

Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination. It's caused by a problem with the brain that develops before, during or soon after birth. Symptoms of cerebral palsy The symptoms of cerebral palsy are not usually obvious just after a baby is born. They normally become noticeable from an early age. Symptoms can include: • delays in reaching development milestones – for example, not sitting by 8 months or not walking by 18 months • seeming too stiff or too floppy • weak arms or legs • fidgety, jerky or clumsy movements • random, uncontrolled movements • walking on tiptoes • a range of other problems – such as The severity of symptoms can vary significantly. Some people only have minor problems, while others may be severely disabled. When to get medical advice Speak to your health visitor or a GP if you have any concerns about your child's health or development. Symptoms like those of cerebral palsy can have a number of different causes and are not necessarily a sign of anything serious. Your child may be referred to specialists in child development who can do some checks and tests. Causes of cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy can happen if a baby's brain does not develop normally while they're in the womb, or is damaged during or soon after birth. Causes of cerebral palsy include: • bleeding in the baby's brain or reduced blood and oxygen supply to their brain • an infection caught during pregnancy • the brain temporarily not g...

Cerebral palsy is due to damage to the developing brain during pregnancy​, birth, or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy affects people in different ways and can affect body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture, and balance. This disability is a lifelong condition, and it’s different for everybody. While the brain injury that causes it doesn’t change over time, the wear and tear of living with cerebral palsy often means that people with CP experience age-related changes, like increased muscle weakness and decreased balance, much earlier than people without CP. People who have cerebral palsy may also have visual, learning, hearing, speech, epilepsy, and/or intellectual impairments. Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation is classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit a registered 501(c)(3) organization. We are exempt from federal income tax and all contributions made to our organization are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. A copy of the IRS letter of determination declaring our tax-exempt status is available upon request.

Several Cerebral Palsy classification systems exist today to define the type and form of Cerebral Palsy an individual has. The classification is complicated by the wide range of clinical presentations and degrees of activity limitation that exist. Knowing the severity, location and type of Cerebral Palsy your child has will help to coordinate care and fund treatment. Why so confusing? “What type of Cerebral Palsy does my child have? And, why does one doctor classify my child’s Cerebral Palsy one way, while the other doctor labels it another way?” Classification preference changes based on the intended use Professionals who specialize in the treatment of Cerebral Palsy approach the condition from a number of different vantage points. An orthopedic surgeon requires a definition of the limbs affected and the extent of impairment in order to prescribe treatment. Neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists, on the other hand, are more concerned with the cause of the brain damage and descriptors for imposing white and gray matter so as to determine the type of brain injury or brain malformation. They are also concerned with diagnosing the extent and severity level of the child’s Cerebral Palsy. At first, a parent may be concerned with the severity level classification – mild, moderate or severe – in order to better understand the seriousness of the child’s impairment or disability. When meeting with the child’s pediatrician or physical therapist, it is useful to understand the topograph...

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve children with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy and periventricular leukomalacia born preterm (mean age, 11.5 years; age range, 7.3–16.6 years) participated in a lower extremity selective motor control intervention, Camp Leg Power. Activities promoted isolated joint movement including isokinetic knee exercises, ankle-controlled gaming, gait training, and sensorimotor activities (3 hours/day, 15 sessions, 1 month). DWI scans were collected pre- and postintervention. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics was used to analyze changes in fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and mean diffusivity. RESULTS: Significantly reduced radial diffusivity ( P< . 05) was found within corticospinal tract ROIs, including 28.4% of the left and 3.6% of the right posterior limb of the internal capsule and 14.1% of the left superior corona radiata. Reduced mean diffusivity was found within the same ROIs (13.3%, 11.6%, and 6.6%, respectively). Additionally, decreased radial diffusivity was observed in the left primary motor cortex. Additional WM tracts had decreased radial diffusivity and mean diffusivity, including the anterior limb of the internal capsule, external capsule, anterior corona radiata, and corpus callosum body and genu. CONCLUSIONS: Myelination of the corticospinal tracts improved following Camp Leg Power. Neighboring WM changes suggest recruitment of additional tracts involved in regulating neuroplasticity of the motor regions. Intens...