Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that affect muscle control and movement. In the UK, it affects around 1 in every 400 children. Cerebral” means “of the brain”, while “palsy” means “paralysis”.

There are three main types of Cerebral palsy, many people will have a mixture of these.

• Spasticity cerebral palsy- this causes stiff and tight muscles, reducing a person’s range of movement. This can cause pain and discomfort when muscles go into spasm.
• Dyskinetic cerebral palsy- this type of Cerebral Palsy causes involuntary contractions in the muscles, people with Dyskinetic may make movements or sounds they can’t control. They may also find it difficult to keep an upright position.
• Ataxic cerebral palsy- this affects balance and special awareness. People living with Ataxia may be unsteady with shaky movements and might struggle with coordination.

Cerebral palsy is typically diagnosed within the first few years of a child’s life. After referral, a specialist team will carry out assessments in the form of examinations of the child’s movement and learning abilities, as well as checking medical history, development and asking about any problems during pregnancy, birth or soon after.

Signs and symptoms of Cerebral palsy can include:

• delays in reaching development milestones – for example, not sitting by 8 months or not walking by 18 months.
• seeming too stiff or too floppy
• weak arms or legs
• fidgety, jerky, or clumsy movements
• random, uncontrolled movements
• walking on tiptoes
• a range of other problems – such as swallowing problems, speaking problems, vision problems and learning disabilities

There are multiple charities working to ensure that every baby, young person, and adult with cerebral palsy has access to the best possible, care, education, and future!

Action Cerebral Palsy- https://actioncp.org/about-us/

Scope- https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/cerebral-palsy-introduction/