What is Cerebral Palsy? | CDC (2023)

FAQs

What is Cerebral Palsy? | CDC? ›

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles.

Cerebral palsy is usually caused by a problem that affects the development of a baby's brain while it's growing in the womb. These include: damage to part of the brain called white matter, possibly as a result of a reduced blood or oxygen supply – this is known as periventricular leukomalacia (PVL).

Many children with milder forms of cerebral palsy have average survival times similar to those of the general population. Children with mild cerebral palsy have a 99% chance of living to 20 years old, whereas children with severe cerebral palsy have a 40% chance, according to Dr. Ananya Mandal.

There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but supportive treatments, medications, and surgery can help many individuals improve their motor skills and ability to communicate with the world. All people with CP have problems with movement and posture.

Cerebral palsy is a “non-progressive” disorder. This means that as children get older, their CP will not worsen. While an individual's cerebral palsy will not decline as they get older, there are a few things that can impact their overall health and wellness.

While some children do not experience pain alongside their cerebral palsy symptoms, many patients experience cerebral palsy pain when they reach adulthood. Around 75% of adults with cerebral palsy experience chronic pain according to the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine.

CP is more common among boys than girls, and more common among black children than among white children. Most (about 75%-85%) children with CP have spastic CP. This means that their muscles are stiff, and as a result, their movements can be awkward. Over half (about 50%-60%) of children with CP can walk independently.

Some people with cerebral palsy may not be able to produce any sounds, others may be able to produce sounds but have difficulty controlling their movement enough to produce speech that is clear and understood by others. 1 in 4 people with cerebral palsy cannot talk.

Is cerebral palsy and autism? ›

Is Cerebral Palsy a Form of Autism? Cerebral palsy is not a form of autism. According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy — which develops after the brain suffers severe damage before, during, or shortly after birth — causes problems with muscle control and tone, movement, and posture.

CP generally is diagnosed during the first or second year after birth. But if a child's symptoms are mild, it is sometimes difficult to make a diagnosis until the child is a few years older.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by abnormal development of the brain or damage to the developing brain that affects a child's ability to control his or her muscles. There are several possible causes of the abnormal development or damage.

Adults with Cerebral Palsy Disability May Qualify for SSI and SSDI Aid. Adults with severe Cerebral Palsy disability may qualify for SSI or SSDI benefits. Most adults who have SSI qualified as children–however it is possible to apply for SSI as an adult even if you have not previously qualified as a child.

Respiratory illness is a common cause of death for patients with cerebral palsy since they are prone to pneumonia, respiratory failure, and aspiration. Other common causes can include cardiovascular issues and organ failures.

For some people, cerebral palsy will affect them physically, making muscle movement more difficult. Others may also be affected by seizures, epilepsy or difficulties with speech and language. Cerebral palsy is not a learning disability, but some people with cerebral palsy might have a learning disability.

When Bernadette Rivard was born with severe physical disabilities in the 1930s, some might have thought her life would be a burden. It proved to be far from it. Listen to a CBC Radio documentary on her remarkable life.

Yes. Some people with cerebral palsy may be able to drive, depending on the severity of their disability. Since cerebral palsy affects everyone differently, some people might need significant vehicle modifications to operate their vehicle safely, while others may only need minor adjustments.

Fortunately, CP is not thought to impact life expectancy. Adults with CP have a life expectancy comparable to that of the general population. While a cerebral palsy diagnosis may come as a surprise to parents, this condition can be managed with proper treatment and continued care.

CP is often classified by severity level as mild, moderate, severe, or no CP. These are broad generalizations that lack a specific set of criteria.

What does a person with cerebral palsy act like? ›

They might be unsteady when they walk. They might have a hard time with quick movements or movements that need a lot of control, like writing. They might have a hard time controlling their hands or arms when they reach for something.

Cerebral Palsy does not on its own affect a person's intelligence. However, as many as 30-50% of children with CP have some form of cognitive impairment caused by a coexisting condition.

A new study finds that adults with cerebral palsy are at an increased risk of experiencing a mental health disorder compared to adults without the condition.

Cerebral palsy is a physical disability that's an umbrella term referring to a group of disorders affecting a person's ability to move. Cerebral palsy is due to damage to the developing brain during pregnancy​, birth, or shortly after birth.

1 in 2 people with cerebral palsy have an intellectual disability. 1 in 5 people have a moderate to severe intellectual disability. Generally, the greater the level of a person's physical impairment, the more likely it is that they will have an intellectual disability.

CP affects the cerebral motor cortex. This is the part of the brain that directs muscle movement. In fact, the first part of the name, cerebral, means having to do with the brain. The second part, palsy, means weakness or problems with using the muscles.

If cerebral palsy is severe, some signs and symptoms may be evident at birth. In many children, however, symptoms appear over time, as the child develops.

In particular, the analysis identified two genes — FBXO31 and RHOB — that when mutated are each alone sufficient to cause cerebral palsy. Many of the additional genes carrying mutations were only present in the child with cerebral palsy — meaning they arose randomly — while others were inherited from both parents.

Always refrain from using offensive, outdated words such as retard, freak, lame, crippled, subnormal, vegetable, handicapped or imbecile. Avoid negative descriptors such as suffering or battling (e.g. “she suffers from cerebral palsy”).

Daily living activities consist of using the bathroom, bathing, getting dressed, brushing teeth, washing hands, and other forms of hygiene that take place on a daily basis. Young children will need help with all of these activities; however, children with cerebral may need more long-term assistance.

Can people with cerebral palsy hear you? ›

In addition to physical disabilities from impaired muscle control, children with cerebral palsy will often have impaired hearing, speech, and vision. A significant percentage of children with cerebral palsy will also have some level of hearing impairment.

Cerebral Palsy is a neurological condition that occurs due to trauma sustained by the brain during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Down Syndrome, however, is a genetic ailment that occurs when a child has an extra copy of chromosome 21, leading to physical and intellectual defects.

Associative conditions of CP include vision and hearing impairment (these can be secondary conditions in some cases), intellectual and learning disabilities, and epilepsy, among others.

Other progressive disorders that are occasionally misdiagnosed as cerebral palsy are metachromatic leukodystrophy, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, and Rett syndrome. These disorders differ from cerebral palsy in that they cause breakdowns in cognitive and behavior skills, not just motor skills.

Pain is one of the most frequent secondary conditions reported in CP, with 30–70% experiencing pain on a regular basis [6,7,8]. Girls usually report pain more often than boys and the pain intensity appears to be more severe in girls [6, 7, 9] Furthermore, the frequency of pain increases with age [7, 9].

CT scans take cross-sectional images of a child's brain. The scan takes roughly 20 minutes and it is used to detect and diagnose cerebral palsy. CT scans can help to eliminate any other conditions or diseases that have symptoms similar to CP.

Children with mild cerebral palsy may exhibit signs of difficulty controlling movement as they try to walk, marked by a limp or tightness in the joints. They could also have problems controlling the muscles in their hands and feet. Along with physical symptoms, mild cerebral palsy can also cause cognitive issues.

While cerebral palsy does not affect intelligence, many individuals with CP experience co-occurring intellectual disabilities. However, the two conditions are caused by damage to two separate areas of the brain.

Children with cerebral palsy are likely to have developmental delays because they suffered brain damage during or right after birth. Often, the failure to meet milestones within a reasonable period leads to the evaluation and diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

In general, a person with a moderate to severe case of Cerebral Palsy will qualify for SSDI benefits as opposed to SSI benefits because there is a provision in the law that allows individuals that are disabled before they are 22 years old to collect SSDI benefits from their parent's work record.

Are you in a wheelchair with cerebral palsy? ›

Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood motor disability in the U.S. Not every child with CP needs a wheelchair. In fact, almost 60% of all children with cerebral palsy can walk independently without any equipment. Many of these children were once in a wheelchair but later were able to ambulate with the chair.

If you have cerebral palsy or you have a child with cerebral palsy, you can apply for benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA gives benefits to people who are unable to work due to a severe disability such as cerebral palsy.

Additionally, according to a study on individuals with cerebral palsy by BMC Neurology, more than 80% of individuals have a life expectancy of 58 years or more.

It is believed that 25% of all cerebral palsy patients have behavioral issues. Those most at risk include cerebral palsy patients with epilepsy, intellectual disabilities, and severe pain. Some of the problem behaviors include: Anger issues making conflict likely.

Men With Cerebral Palsy

Remember, cerebral palsy does not affect a person's ability to have children. Other factors, such as infertility, can cause conception problems, but infertility is not a symptom or associated condition of cerebral palsy disorder.

Some types of infection that have been linked with CP include viruses such as chickenpox, rubella (german measles), and cytomegalovirus (CMV), and bacterial infections such as infections of the placenta or fetal membranes, or maternal pelvic infections.

The earlier the birth and the lower the infant's birthweight, the greater the risk. Multiple gestations. Twins, triplets, and other multiple births are at higher risk of cerebral palsy. The risk is also greater for an infant whose twin or triplet dies before or shortly after birth.

The main cause of cerebral palsy is brain injury caused by lack of oxygen to a baby's developing brain. Children with brain damage from lack of oxygen (hypoxia) may have issues affecting their fine motor skills, movement, coordination, muscle tone, and development.

poor muscle tone in a baby's limbs, resulting in heavy or floppy arms and legs. stiffness in a baby's joints or muscles, or uncontrolled movement in a baby's arms or legs. difficulty coordinating body movements, including grasping and clapping. a delay in meeting milestones, such as rolling over, crawling, and walking.

Does cerebral palsy run in families? ›

Is cerebral palsy genetic/hereditary? Familial cerebral palsy is uncommon, approximately 1% of people with cerebral palsy will have a sibling with the condition. It is even uncommon in twins - when one twin has cerebral palsy, 90% of co-twins will not have cerebral palsy.

Is Cerebral Palsy a Form of Autism? Cerebral palsy is not a form of autism. According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy — which develops after the brain suffers severe damage before, during, or shortly after birth — causes problems with muscle control and tone, movement, and posture.

Some people with cerebral palsy may not be able to produce any sounds, others may be able to produce sounds but have difficulty controlling their movement enough to produce speech that is clear and understood by others. 1 in 4 people with cerebral palsy cannot talk.

Common Risk Factors of Cerebral Palsy

Many of the most common risk factors for the development of cerebral palsy are also the result of using alcohol, drugs, and smoking while pregnant.