Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is the leading childhood disability that affects function and development. Cerebral palsy is the term used for all non-progressive brain lesions. It is diagnosed before the age of three. Brain lesions cause motor and other developmental abnormalities. Epilepsy is common, especially in patients that have mental retardation and/or spastic quadriplegia.
Causes
Cerebral palsy is not an inherited disease. Genetic or environmental factors can affect the migration of the brain cells during the prenatal development. If the nerves are poorly myelinated during prenatal development it can impede the function of the brain. If blood vessels in the brain burst or there is a lack of oxygen it can cause …show more content…
“Classification of children with CP based on functional abilities and limitations is predictive of gross motor function, whereas age alone is a poor predictor” (Palisano, 2000) There are seven main types of cerebral palsy. Spastic hemiplegia affects twenty to thirty percent of those with cerebral palsy. Hemiplegia affects the appendicular skeleton on one side of the body. Spastic diplegia affects thirty to forty percent of patients that have cerebral palsy, and mostly affects the lower body, and can effects on the torso and upper body. Ten to fifteen percent of those that have cerebral palsy have a spastic quadriplegia. Spastic quadriplegia affects all of the appendicular skeleton, and limits the axial skeleton movement. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy has abnormal movements, and is commonly associated with hypertonicity. Mixed cerebral palsy is a combination of spastic and dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Hypotonic cerebral palsy is rare and can cause hyperreflexia. The most rare form of cerebral palsy is monoplegia, when only one limb is affected. (Abdel-Hamid).
Diagnosing
There is not a single test that will be definitive in determining whether or not the child has cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is usually diagnosed between the ages of six months and three years. Most physicians will test reflexes, muscle tone, posture, and their coordination. “...impaired motor function is the hallmark or
Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is the leading childhood disability that affects function and development. Cerebral palsy is the term used for all non-progressive brain lesions. It is diagnosed before the age of three. Brain lesions cause motor and other developmental abnormalities. Epilepsy is common, especially in patients that have mental retardation and/or spastic quadriplegia.
Causes
Cerebral palsy is not an inherited disease. Genetic or environmental factors can affect the migration of the brain cells during the prenatal development. If the nerves are poorly myelinated during prenatal development it can impede the function of the brain. If blood vessels in the brain burst or there is a lack of oxygen it can cause …show more content…
“Classification of children with CP based on functional abilities and limitations is predictive of gross motor function, whereas age alone is a poor predictor” (Palisano, 2000) There are seven main types of cerebral palsy. Spastic hemiplegia affects twenty to thirty percent of those with cerebral palsy. Hemiplegia affects the appendicular skeleton on one side of the body. Spastic diplegia affects thirty to forty percent of patients that have cerebral palsy, and mostly affects the lower body, and can effects on the torso and upper body. Ten to fifteen percent of those that have cerebral palsy have a spastic quadriplegia. Spastic quadriplegia affects all of the appendicular skeleton, and limits the axial skeleton movement. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy has abnormal movements, and is commonly associated with hypertonicity. Mixed cerebral palsy is a combination of spastic and dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Hypotonic cerebral palsy is rare and can cause hyperreflexia. The most rare form of cerebral palsy is monoplegia, when only one limb is affected. (Abdel-Hamid).
Diagnosing
There is not a single test that will be definitive in determining whether or not the child has cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is usually diagnosed between the ages of six months and three years. Most physicians will test reflexes, muscle tone, posture, and their coordination. “...impaired motor function is the hallmark or