Main signs of cerebral palsy in babies

Main signs of cerebral palsy in babies

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles. Cerebral Palsy is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control his or her muscles.
The symptoms of Cerebral Palsy (CP) may vary from person to person. A baby with severe Cerebral Palsy might need to use special equipment to be able to walk, or might not be able to walk at all and might need lifelong care. A bay with mild Cerebral Palsy, on the other hand, might walk a little awkwardly, but might not need any special help. CP does not get worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person’s lifetime.
Generally, babies with cerebral palsy can expect to live between 30 and 70 years on average. Those with the longest life expectancies usually have more mobility, better medical care and adaptive equipment and greater autonomy and independence.
There is no cure for cerebral palsy and the condition lasts for life. However, unlike many other serious health conditions, cerebral palsy does not worsen over time. This is because the condition is caused by a one-time brain injury. Other co-mitigating factors and separate conditions not caused by the initial brain injury may impact health and life expectancy over time. However, the majority of babies diagnosed with cerebral palsy can expect a relatively normal life expectancy.
The types of cerebral palsy include:
Doctors classify CP according to the main type of movement disorder involved. Depending on which areas of the brain are affected, one or more of the following movement disorders can occur in a baby:
Stiff muscles, also known as
Uncontrollable movements
Poor balance and coordination
Mixed cerebral palsy
There are four main types of CP:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
The most common type of CP is spastic CP, Spastic CP affects about 80% of people with CP.
Babies with spastic CP have increased muscle tone. This means their muscles are stiff and, as a result, their movements can be awkward. Spastic CP usually is described by what parts of the body are affected.
Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy (also includes athetoid, choreoathetoid, and dystonic cerebral palsies)
Babies with dyskinetic CP have problems controlling the movement of their hands, arms, feet, and legs, making it difficult to sit and walk. The movements are uncontrollable and can be slow and writhing or rapid and jerky. Sometimes the face and tongue are affected and the affected baby has a hard time sucking, swallowing, and talking. A baby with dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy has muscle tone that can change (varying from too tight to too loose) not only from day to day, but even during a single day.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
babies with ataxic CP have problems with balance and coordination. They might be unsteady when they walk. They might have a hard time with quick movements or movements that need a lot of control, like writing. They might have a hard time controlling their hands or arms when they reach for something.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Some babies have symptoms of more than one type of CP. The most common type of mixed CP is spastic-dyskinetic CP.
One of a frequently asked question about CEREBRAL PALSY is whether cerebral palsy is genetic plays a role in cerebral palsy.
While Cerebral Palsy is not a hereditary condition, researchers have discovered that hereditary factors can predispose an individual to Cerebral Palsy. Although a specific genetic disorder does not directly cause Cerebral Palsy, genetic influences can cause small effects on many genes.
With the advancement of neuroimaging technology, researchers have been able to study brain injury and brain malformation to understand how genetic mutations, genetic deletions, risk factors, and health status interact to create causal pathways toward abnormal brain development. The research enables scientists to identify risk factors, prevention measures, and surgical techniques for Cerebral Palsy.
Many organizations are working to reduce the occurrence of Cerebral Palsy; understanding when, how and why brain damage occurs during various stages of development is crucial to achieving that goal.