What is CP?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development; before, during, or shortly after birth; or during infancy. Faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupts the brain’s ability to adequately control movement and posture.

Cerebral palsy is non-progressive (i.e. the brain damage does not get worse); however, secondary conditions, such as muscle spasticity, can develop and get better, worse or stay the same over time. Depending on which areas of the brain that have been injured, one or more of the following may occur: Muscle tightness or spasticity; involuntary movement; disturbance in gait or mobility, difficulty in swallowing and problems with speech.

In addition, the following may occur: abnormal sensation and perception; impairment of sight, hearing or speech, seizures; and/or mental retardation. Other problems that may arise are difficulties in feeding, bladder and bowel control, problems with breathing because of postural difficulties, skin disorders because of pressure sores, and learning disabilities.

Cerebral palsy presents itself differently from person to person and can range in severity from mild to severe. There are also different types of CP, the three principal categories being spastic, athetoid,and ataxic. A fourth category can be a mixture of these types for any individual.

Currently, oral medication, Botox (botulinum A toxin) injection, baclofen infusion, orthopaedic surgery, selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery, physical therapy, and braces are employed to treat CP spasticity and related problems. It is important to note that once spasticity has developed with CP, it never resolves spontaneously.