OPTA 222 (Cerebral Palsy)
What is C.P
A group of motor disorders and maintain balance and posture. Can involve cognition.
- Loss or impairment of motor function: Affects control of movement and posture
- Often also has perceptual and learning difficulties but NOT always
- Non progressive
What causes C.P.?
Developmental defects of the brain often before, during the birth process or shortly after birth
- Can be due to a lack of oxygen or nutrients to the brain during birth process or shortly after
- Prematurity
- Serious infection that impacts brain such as meningitis (what are some others?)
- Placenta issues
- Brain injury
Signs and Symptoms
- Delayed growth milestones
- High or low muscle tone
- Weakness or stiffness
- Abnormal reflexes
- Learning disability
- Poor balance
- Poor motor skills
Diagnosis
No single test
Will look at:
- Blood tests
- EEG (electroencephalography)
- EMG (electromyography)
- APGAR score
- Review of birth
- Neuroimaging of brain
Treatment
-Minimize pain: Botox,Exercise
Encourage social interactions
Optimize learning
Maximize mobility
Enhance quality of life
Body Part Quadriplegia
This type affects all four limbs — both arms and both legs. A person’s torso, facial, and oral muscles are often affected, too.
Body Part: Triplegia
This type affects three limbs — one arm and both legs. A person’s torso, facial, and oral muscles may be affected, too.
Body Part: Diplegia
This type affects both legs. A person’s arms may be affected to a lesser extent.
Body Part: Hemiplegia
This type affects one side of the body. People can either have right-side hemiplegia (affecting their right arm and leg), or left-side hemiplegia (affecting their left arm and leg). Approximately 40% of people with cerebral palsy have hemiplegia.
Body Part: Monoplegia
This type affects only one limb.
Brain Injury: Spastic
-Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form, affecting up to 80% of people with CP.
-This type causes muscles to appear stiff and tight.
-This the result of damage to the motor cortex.
Brain Injury: Dyskinetic
-Dyskinetic cerebral palsy — also known as athetoid cerebral palsy — occurs in 6% of people with CP.
-This type is characterized by involuntary movements.
-This is the result of damage to the basal ganglia.
Brain injury: Ataxic
-Ataxic cerebral palsy occurs in 6% of people with CP.
-This type is characterized by shaky movements and affects a person’s balance and sense of positioning in space.
-This is the result of damage to the cerebellum.
Brain Injury: Mixed
means that someone’s brain is injured in more than one location and they will experience symptoms from multiple types of CP.mixed-cp-icon