Cerebral palsy is a disorder or condition, which disables the coordination and movement in the muscles of the body, which eventually leads towards the parmnamnet loss of the movement in the body. It can further damage the other organs of the body and leave a lifetime impact on thye hearing, speaking, swallowing, vision, facilities. It can even damage the brain cells and leads to the immature development of the brain, brain infection, etc.Â
According to the reports, 10,000 babies have born every year with cerebral palsy in the US. Based on the reports, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) stated that 1 in every 400 babies in the United Kingdom is born wuth cerebral palsy and about 18000 babies are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year.
Cerebral Palsy Classification
Cerebral palsy is divided into three segments or types based on the movement disorder involved. It is a disorder related to the brain. Cerebral palsy takes away the ability of a person to maintain a body posture and balance while waking and seating. The different segments are based on the area of the brain which is affected. There can be more than one disorders can occur.
-     Spastic Cerebral Palsy – Spastic CP is very common in kids, it creates stiffness in the muscles. It can affect the upper part of the body or the lower part or in some cases it can affect both. According to the affected body parts it is further divided into three types Spastic diplegia/diparesis, Spastic hemiplegia/hemiparesis and Spastic quadriplegia/quadriparesis
-     Ataxic Cerebral Palsy – People who have Ataxic CP can face problems related with the balance and co ordination of the body. The unsteady walks and slow movements of the body are the other symptoms of Ataxic CP.
-    Mixed Cerebral Palsy – A developmental disorder created by brain damages is basically a mixture of more than one type of CP
Symptoms
The key signs that the newborn might have cerebral palsy include the difficulty in the movement of the body parts like rolling, sitting, crawling, etc. Here are few more signs or symptoms of CP
Signs of CP in babies under 6 months
- Â Â Â Â The lagging of the head when you try to pick up the baby who is lying on the bed
- Â Â Â Â The continuous feeling of stiffness and floppiness
- Â Â Â Â Overextension of the back and the neck when you try to curdle the baby in the arm
- Â Â Â Â The body crosses the legs when you are holding them up.
Signs of CP in babies over 6 months
- Â Â Â Â The difficulty of bringing hands together
- Â Â Â Â Movement of one hand while the other stay stiff on the bed
- Â Â Â Â Not able to roll in either direction
- Â Â Â Â Difficulties in bringing hands towards the mouth
Conclusion
Previously it was believed that CP is caused because of the lack of oxygen during the time of birth, it can be considered as a cause of the CP but the cases are very rare.
