CEREBRAL PALSY

Betsy Schirmer SPED 735 University of Kansas

WHAT IS CEREBRAL PALSY?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects muscle tone,

movement, and motor skills. It hinders the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way.
CP is usually caused by brain damage that occurs before or

during a child's birth, or during the first 3 to 5 years of a child's life.

3 TYPES OF CP
1. Spastic Cerebral Palsy- causes difficulties of movement and

stiffness
2. Athetoid Cerebral Palsy- uncontrolled movements that are

involuntary
3. Ataxic Cerebral Palsy- causes a problem with depth perception

and balance

AFFECTS OF CEREBRAL PALSY

Exact causes are unknown, but many result from a problem

during pregnancy where the brain doesnt develop normally.

Maternal health problems, genetic disorder, and infections are

some of the results of CP. These characteristics interfere with normal brain development
Premature babies are at greater risk for CP then babies who are

carried full-term

DIAGNOSIS
Can be diagnosed very early in an infant due to low birth weight

or other health issues

Doctors sometimes are not able to diagnosis a child with CP until

they start seeing developmental delays as the child ages (grasping toys or not sitting up on their own by a certain age)
Persistance of infant reflexes, poor coordinated movements, and

abnormal muscle tone are also characteristics of a CP diagnosis

PREVENTION
There are no ways to fully prevent Cerebral Palsy. However, there

are ways that are listed below that can aid in preventing CP to a point
1. Maintaining a healthy diet 2. Taking charge of medical conditions 3. Proper prenatal care 4. Taking medications and being aware of the side effects

LOWERING THE RISK OF CEREBRAL PALSY

Never shake a baby(this can lead to brain damage)

Child is properly restrained in car seat and that car seat is

installed properly
Home being free of lead exposure Proper immunizations

HOW CEREBRAL PALSY EFFECTS DEVELOPMENT

There are varying degrees of CP depending on the diagnosis

Some children have severe CP, while others have only mild CP
The severity is due to the extent of damage that has been done to

the brain
Seizures, blindness, hearing impairment, behavior problems, and

food aspiration are some of the effects of CP

TREATMENT
No cure for Cerebral Palsy

Therapy and a variety of resources can help aid in the treatment

of CP
Therapy can help in developmental milestones and in growth Therapy can also assist a child in learning, speech, movement,

and emotional/social development

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TOOL

Meet Sam who has Cerebral Palsy. He is explaining how he uses

technology to aid him in his learning

http://youtu.be/jYmfrrY4Hfk

RESOURCES FOR CP

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) 1660 L Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 info@ucp.org http://www.ucp.org Tel: 202-776-0406 800-USA-5UCP (872-5827) Fax: 202-776-0414 March of Dimes 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 askus@marchofdimes.com http://www.marchofdimes.com Tel: 914-997-4488 888-MODIMES (663-4637) Fax: 914-428-8203Pedal with Pete [For Research on Cerebral Palsy] P.O. Box 274 Kent, OH 44240 petezeid@aol.com http://www.pedalwithpete.com Tel: 800-304-PETE (7383) Fax: 330-673-1240Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation 1025 Connecticut Avenue Suite 701 Washington, DC 20036 nmaher@cpirf.org http://www.cpirf.org Tel: 202-496-5060