It is a physical impairment that affects movement - 'cerebral' refers to the brain and 'palsy' means weakness or paralysis. No two people with cerebral palsy are the same. Movement problems vary from barely noticeable to extremely severe.
The three main types of cerebral palsy correspond to injuries to different parts of the brain:
* Spastic cerebral palsy causes muscles to become very stiff and weak, especially under effort. This can affect control of movement.
* Athetoid cerebral palsy affects control of posture, which can lead to people making unwanted movements.
* Ataxic cerebral palsy often creates problems with balance and can result in shaky hand movements and irregular speech.
What is the cause?
It is not always possible to identify the cause of cerebral palsy. The condition is most commonly the result of failure of a part of the brain to develop normally, either before birth or in early childhood. This is sometimes because of bleeding or blocked blood vessels, complications in labour or extreme prematurity. Infections during pregnancy or infancy and early childhood, for example meningitis or encephalitis, can also lead to cerebral palsy. Occasionally it is due to an inherited disorder and in such cases genetic counselling may be helpful.
What are the effects?
The main effect is difficulty in movement. Many people are only mildly impaired. Others have problems walking, feeding, talking or using their hands. Some people are unable to sit without support.
Sometimes other parts of the brain are affected as well, resulting in sight, hearing, perception and learning difficulties. Between a quarter and a third of affected children and adolescents, and about a tenth of adults, are also affected by epilepsy.
People with cerebral palsy often have difficulty controlling their movement and facial expressions. This does not necessarily mean that their mental abilities are impaired - many, like most people without cerebral palsy, are within the average range of intelligence.
Is there a cure?
Correct treatment from an early age can ease the effects of cerebral palsy but there is no cure. Occasionally infants who appear to have cerebral palsy lose the signs as they get older.
What is the prevalence?
Improvements in maternity services and neonatal care mean that fewer babies develop cerebral palsy as a result of lack of oxygen at birth, but this also means that more babies with very low birth weights survive. These babies are more likely to have cerebral palsy.
There has recently been a slight increase in the proportion of children with cerebral palsy. About one child in every 400 is affected. Among these the percentage of severely and multiply disabled people who need Scope's support is growing.
