Cerebral palsy CP refers to a group of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination. CP is caused by damage to or abnormalities inside the developing brain that disrupt the brain's ability to control movement and maintain posture and balance.
The term cerebral refers to the brain; palsy refers to the loss or impairment of motor function. In some cases, the areas of the brain involved in muscle movement do not develop as expected during fetal growth. In others, the damage is a result of injury to the brain either before, during, or after birth.
In either case, the damage is not reversible and the disabilities that result are permanent. CP is the leading cause of childhood disabilities in the U. Someone with mild CP may not need any assistance or may have slight problems, such as difficulty walking, while a person with severe CP might need special equipment or lifelong care. The disorder isn't progressive, meaning it doesn't get worse over time and some symptoms may even change as the child gets older.
There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but supportive treatments, medications, and surgery can help many individuals improve their motor skills and ability to communicate with the world. All people with CP have problems with movement and posture. The symptoms of CP differ in type and severity from one person to the next and may even change over time. Symptoms may vary greatly among individuals, depending on which parts of the brain have been injured.
Infants with CP frequently have developmental delays, in which they are slow in learning to roll over, sit, crawl, or walk. Decreased muscle tone hypotonia can make them appear relaxed, even floppy. Increased muscle tone hypertonia can make their bodies seem stiff or rigid. Children with CP may also have unusual posture or favor one side of the body when they reach, crawl, or move.
