Annually, thousands of newborns around the world suffer from a sad and crippling disorder known as Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy was discovered and named only about a century ago. Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe several conditions resulting from brain damage or injury causing permanent physical disorders and loss of muscle coordination. The development of the human brain starts in early pregnancy and continues till the age of three. Any damage to the brain during this period may result in Cerebral Palsy.
A British surgeon, William Little in 1860, first identified Cerebral Palsy, previously known as “Cerebral Paralysis”. His theory suggested that Cerebral Palsy was caused by obstetrical complications at birth. He said that a lack of oxygen to the brain during birth damaged the brain tissues that controlled movement. However, Dr. Sigmund Freud opposed this theory, noting that the children who suffered from this disorder also had other problems including mental retardation, visual disturbances and seizures. He suggested that this disorders might have occurred earlier in life, perhaps even during the fetal development stage.
The causes of Cerebral Palsy can be broadly divided into two groups, namely pre-birth palsy and post-birth palsy. The pre-birth Cerebral Palsy can be a result of multiple births, sexually transmitted diseases, poor nutrition, premature delivery, or malformation of the baby’s brain. In the post-birth stage, Cerebral Palsy can be a result of infections such as meningitis, brain hemorrhages, poisoning or drowning accidents.
There are various types of Cerebral Palsy affecting children. These are classified into two categories, either by the number and severity of the limbs involved or by the movement disorders.
It must be noted that this disorder is not contagious or hereditary, nor is it life-threatening. Although no definite cure is available for this heartbreaking disorder, several modern therapies help people suffering from Cerebral Palsy to function more effectively and enrich their life, helping them to explore new horizons.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Cause of Cerebral Palsy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The term cerebral palsy is used to describe a group of conditions that arise during the first few years of a child’s life. These conditions are usually the result of impaired development of, or damage to, the part of the brain that controls movement and...
-
Cerebral Palsy Physical Therapy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Cerebral Palsy is one of the most widespread brain-related disorders found in newborn or young children around the world. Cerebral Palsy is a permanent disorder that occurs when the brain undergoes damage either during pregnancy or soon after birth. As a result of this, the...
-
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Cerebral Palsy is a crippling brain disorder that affects thousands of newborns children around the world each year. With no definite permanent cure known as of yet, the ones affected by the disorder tend to suffer for their entire life. There are several types of...
-
Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Over 500,000 people in the United States suffer from some form of cerebral palsy. There are a number of maternal and fetal conditions that increase the risk of a child being born with the disease. However, when cerebral palsy occurs during or after birth, medical...
-
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
From the several thousand cases of Cerebral Palsy reported around the world each year, about 10% of them are cases of Athetoid Cerebral Palsy. This disorder is exactly the opposite of spastic Cerebral Palsy wherein the muscles are too rigid. In Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, the...
-
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Ataxic cerebral palsy accounts for five to ten percent of all cases of cerebral palsy. In this form of cerebral palsy, there is damage to a part of the brain called the cerebellum that helps maintain balance and coordination. When the cerebellum is damaged, it...
-
Types of Cerebral Palsy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Cerebral palsy can be classified into four types: spastic, athetoid, ataxic and mixed. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form, accounting for between 70 and 80 percent of all cerebral palsy cases. Limb muscles are stiff and remain permanently contracted. This form of cerebral...
-
Cerebral Palsy Therapy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
While cerebral palsy is incurable, many of the symptoms can be treated. However, because multiple parts of the body may be affected, treatment is usually complicated and involves a multi-disciplinary approach. The exact treatment that a cerebral palsy patient undergoes also depends on the type...
-
Signs of Cerebral Palsy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Depending on a child’s age, there are different signs that may suggest the presence of cerebral palsy. A newborn infant with difficulty in suckling, evacuating the bowels, or breathing should be carefully evaluated, as these are all warning signs of cerebral palsy. Infants may also...
-
Spastic Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form of cerebral palsy, accounting for between seventy and eighty percent of all cerebral palsy cases. People with this condition have stiff muscles that remain in a state of prolonged contraction. Such muscle stiffness and contraction makes normal...