What is Cerebral Palsy?

Overview

Cerebral palsy, the most common childhood physical disability, is caused by damage to the brain before birth or in infancy. People living with cerebral palsy can have neurological and musculoskeletal problems that affect posture, sensory perceptions, communication, movement and other functions.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that affects movement and muscle tone. The exact cause, in many cases, is unknown, but the disorder occurs when there is abnormal development or damage to areas in the brain that control motor function. CP develops in approximately three out of every 1,000 live births.

What You Need to Know

• Injuries to the brain before, during or after birth can cause cerebral palsy.
• Symptoms of cerebral palsy are usually first noticed in infants and toddlers.
• Almost half the children affected by cerebral palsy develop hypertonia (excessive muscle tension) or spasticity (excessive muscle tension with increased tendon reflexes).
• There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatment can address associated neurologic, orthopaedic and medical conditions.

For more information please visit John Hopkins Medicine

For links to other resources on Cerebral Palsy please click HERE

For some of the latest research on Cerebral Palsy please visit Science Daily and the National Library of Medicine