In this blog, I have addressed many different disabilities. However, I have yet to shine any light on cerebral palsy, a disability often caused by brain damage occurring before or during a child’s birth.
Cerebral Palsy, also referred to more simply as CP, affects an individual’s muscle tone, movement, and motor skills. Individuals affected by this disorder have a difficult time coordinating their movements in a purposeful way, and typically acquire or notice the disorder anytime between birth and 5 years of age. Though the initial brain damage is associated in loss of motor skill function, it can also affect other aspects of the individual including problems with vision, hearing, and speech. CP is very common among citizens of the United States; about 500,000 children and adults have the condition.
Three types of CP exist: spastic, athetoid, and ataxic. Spastic cerebral palsy causes muscle stiffness and significant movement difficulties, whereas athetoid cerebral palsy leads to involuntary or uncontrolled movements and ataxic cerebral palsy disturbs one’s sense of balance and depth perception. Regardless of the specific type, most individuals with cerebral palsy have difficulty performing simple movement tasks such as standing up straight or eating a piece of food. However, CP does not get worse over time; signs and symptoms remain stable throughout the aging process.
Is anyone particular at risk of developing this disorder? Babies who sustain injuries or experience problems during delivery are at a higher risk for having brain damage and consequently for developing the disorder. Premature babies and multiple births such as twins and triplets also have a higher risk of developing CP.
Not much can be done to prevent CP from developing in your child other than ensuring that you are taking prenatal vitamins and maintaining a healthy diet throughout your pregnancy. Individuals with CP are typically diagnosed based on extremely low muscle tone and other obvious signs and symptoms associated with the disorder. To treat CP, individuals often undergo physical therapy and therapy to improve any learning disabilities present such as a speech impediment or difficulty reading and writing.
The bright side to this disorder is that though individuals do have difficulty performing everyday tasks, they are typically able to function enough to maintain jobs and attend school. Yes, some things must be modified for them, but at the end of the day they are usually able to live their lives just as happily and effectively as everyone else without the disorder. My dance teacher’s daughter had cerebral palsy and would not only help out with dance classes sometimes but also maintained a job at Giant for many years on end. It is really nice to know that not all disabilities are completely crippling, preventing individuals from living somewhat normal lives.
To learn more, go to: http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/cerebral_palsy.html#.