Choose a topic to read

• Types of Cerebral Palsy
• What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?
• What are the causes of cerebral palsy?
• What are the risk factors of cerebral palsy?
• What are the complication of cerebral palsy?
• How is cerebral palsy diagnosed?
• How is cerebral palsy treated?
• How to prevent cerebral palsy?
• Living with cerebral palsy
• FAQ

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that causes abnormal muscle tone, posture, and movement due to brain damage during fetal development. Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy manifest during infancy.  It is essential to note that cerebral palsy affects movement but does not inherently lead to intellectual disability.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

• Spasticity: Stiff muscles
• Dyskinesia: Uncontrollable movements
• Mixed: Both spasticity and dyskinesia

Subtypes of cerebral palsy based on the body part affected include:

• Diplegic: Your arms are affected more than your legs.
• Quadriplegic: All limbs are impacted.
• Hemiplegic: Occurs in one side of the body (left or right) more than the other.
• Monoplegic: One limb is affected.
• Paraplegic: Legs are affected.

What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy symptoms can range from mild to severe, often stemming from weakness or stiffness in various parts of the body. The symptoms of cerebral palsy persist throughout life and change as babies progress through different developmental stages. However, they do not aggravate over time.

• In babies younger than six months: 
  • Difficulty holding up their head
  • Crossing or stiffening their legs when picked up
  • Stiff or floppy body
  • Pushing away by stretching their back and neck when held
• A baby older than six months:
  • Difficulty controlling their neck
  • Reaching with only one hand, making a fist in the other hand
• A baby older than ten months
  • Crawling by pushing off with one hand and leg while dragging the other hand and leg
  • Inability to sit by themselves
• A child older than one year:
  • Not crawling
  • Not able to stand up while holding onto something
• A child older than two years:
  • Unable to walk
  • Unable to push a toy with wheels

What are the causes of cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy occurs from damage to part of the brain responsible for controlling movement. The damage can occur at different stages, including before, during, and after birth. Approximately 80% of cases stem from damage before birth, while about 10% result from damage after birth.

• Causes of cerebral palsy occurring before and during birth are premature birth, brain or spinal cord infections, cerebrovascular disease affecting the developing brain, genetic factors impacting fetal development, congenital malformations from disruption of neural pathways during fetal brain development, insufficiency of blood flow and oxygen to the fetal brain, kernicterus, meconium aspiration, and neonatal hypoglycemia.
• Causes after birth are injuries, physical abuse, asphyxiation, jaundice, kernicterus, and infection, cerebrovascular disease, bleeding in and around the brain.

What are the risk factors of cerebral palsy?

• Premature birth, with the highest risk for babies born before 28 weeks of gestation.
• Low birth weight, i.e., under 1.5 kilograms.
• Substance abuse during pregnancy.
• Pregnancy-related complications, such as preeclampsia.
• Multiple pregnancies
• Chorioamnionitis

What are the complications of cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy frequently coexists with other conditions that impact brain function, such as seizures and epilepsy, communication, vision and hearing problems, feeding issues, bone and muscle conditions, and behavior disorders.

How is cerebral palsy diagnosed?

A pediatrician can catch signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy during well-baby follow-ups. Your baby may develop signs of cerebral palsy before reaching 12 months old, but the official diagnosis often occurs between 18 and 24 months. The diagnostic process involves a physical and neurological examination, specialized assessment checklists, and various imaging scans and tests, including brain MRI and electroencephalogram (EEG) – particularly if your baby experiences seizures - and blood tests.

How is cerebral palsy treated?

Cerebral palsy is incurable. However, treatment can alleviate its symptoms. Suitable treatments vary, depending on the severity, symptoms, and effects on daily life.

• Medications for seizures, spasticity, and other cerebral palsy-related effects, such as mental health disorders
• Surgical interventions can alleviate muscle spasms or implanting pumps for continuous medication delivery. Additionally, surgeries may correct joint and spine issues and implantable electrical brain stimulators to modulate brain activity in some cases.
• Physical and occupational therapy can assist individuals with cerebral palsy in acquiring skills for daily tasks and enhancing strength and mobility.
• Speech therapy can help with communication issues that are common in people with cerebral palsy.
• Mental health therapy can treat symptoms of depression and anxiety.

How to prevent cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is often unpredictable and usually not preventable. However, some measures can lower the risk of developing cerebral palsy.

• Administering magnesium sulfate to premature babies or those born before 32 weeks gestation can lower the risk of cerebral palsy. This treatment promotes blood circulation in the brain of newborns, mitigating potential damage from insufficient blood flow and oxygen.
• Providing cooling therapy for infants experiencing asphyxia by lowering body temperature by at least 2 degrees Celsius can prevent brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation.
• Giving prescription caffeine to stimulate breathing in premature babies can reduce the likelihood of developing cerebral palsy.
• Administering corticosteroids during preterm labor hastens lung development because premature babies often have underdeveloped lungs.

Living with cerebral palsy

People with minor or moderate cerebral palsy may be able to care for themselves to some degree. While people with severe cerebral palsy are more likely to require lifelong support or assistance. You should consult a doctor for treatment and self-care suitable for specific circumstances.

Preparation before the doctor's appointment

Compile questions that you would like to ask a doctor.

• How extensive is the brain damage?
• Which abilities does it impact?
• Can cerebral palsy lead to other health problems? What are they?
• What treatments do you recommend? Are there any innovative treatment modalities?
•  What specific symptoms should I monitor for?

FAQ

• Does cerebral palsy impact intelligence?
  No, it doesn't. About half of the people with cerebral palsy have typical intelligence. However, many of them may face challenges in communication.
• Is cerebral palsy hereditary?
  Cerebral palsy can be hereditary, but most are not. The condition can be a result of injuries or traumas in early infancy.
• Can individuals with cerebral palsy walk?
  Some people with cerebral palsy can walk independently, while others may require support such as crutches, a walker, a cane, or a wheelchair. People who can walk may feel tired quickly, hence the need for assistive tools.

A note from MedPark Hospital

Cerebral palsy usually emerges unexpectedly. Despite its severity and possibility of disabilities, contemporary treatment methods can ease symptoms and impact daily life, enabling patients to enjoy longer, more enriching lives.