Search
About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
December 12, 2011
Home
Slideshow
Pictures
Image
Collection
Quizzes
Diseases
& Conditions
Symptom
Checker
Procedures
& Tests
Medications
MedTerms
Dictionary
Pet
Health
home > neurology center > neurology a-z list > cerebral palsy index > cerebral palsy article
TOP 10 Font Size
Cerebral Palsy Related Articles
Botox Treatment A
CAT Scan A
EEG - Electroencephalogram A
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
(GERD)
MRI Scan
Osteoporosis 1
Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery
2
Scoliosis
Stress 3
Stroke 4
Complete List »
5
6
Neurology Topics 7
Migraine Headache 8
8 Tips for Asperger's
9
Stroke Symptoms
RSD Symptoms and Treatments 10
Sinus Headache Next
Neurology RSS
Cerebral Palsy Index
Healthy Living Tips
Glossary
Cerebral Palsy
Dementia Slideshow Pictures
Take the ADHD Quiz
Latest Neurology News
Taxi Drivers Show How Learning
Brain Foods Slideshow Pictures
Changes Adult Brain
MS May Take a Different Pathway Medical Author:
Very Low Birth Weight May Affect
Norberto Alvarez, MD
Adult Memory, IQ
Risk for Dementia Rises When Medical Editor:
Diabetes, Depression William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Health Tip: Boost Your Brain Power
Want More News? Sign Up for What is cerebral palsy?
MedicineNet Newsletters!
What are causes of cerebral palsy?
Health News Feed
What are the types of cerebral palsy?
What is spastic cerebral palsy?
What is choreoathetoid cerebral palsy?
What is hypotonic cerebral palsy?
Use Pill FinderFind it Now What is mixed cerebral palsy?
Pill Identifier on RxList
What other conditions are associated with cerebral palsy?
quick, How is a child evaluated for cerebral palsy?
easy, How is cerebral palsy treated?
pill identification
What are specific treatment plans for cerebral palsy?
What is the long-term outlook for patients with cerebral palsy?
Cerebral Palsy At A Glance
Find a Local Pharmacy
including
24 hour
pharmacies Cerebral Palsy, What You Need To Know
Medical Author: Medical Author: Melissa Stoppler, M.D.
Medical Editor: Barbara K. Hecht, Ph.D.
While some people believe that the term "cerebral palsy" (CP) refers to a specific
disease, it actually refers to a range of disorders involved the control of muscles.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by many different problems. About half a million
people in the US have some form of cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is usually congenital and becomes evident early in life. However, it
can be acquired later, for example, as a result of a head injury. Researchers now
believe that congenital cerebral palsy is caused by faulty cell development in the embryo in the early
stages of pregnancy. Maternal infection with the rubella virus (German measles) during pregnancy
and severe jaundice of the newborn (as from untreated Rh incompatibility) are some of the conditions
that have been associated with the development of cerebral palsy.
Children with cerebral palsy usually show symptoms within the first three years of life.
Read the rest of the cerebral palsy FAQ »
TOP SEARCHED CEREBRAL PALSY TERMS:
autism, cystic fibrosis, down syndrome,epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, parkinson's disease,spina bifida
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function (as opposed to mental
function) and postural tone that is acquired at an early age, even before birth. Signs and
symptoms of cerebral palsy usually show in the first year of life.
This abnormality in the motor system is the result of brain lesions that are non-
progressive. The motor system of the body provides the ability to move and control
movements. A brain lesion is any abnormality of brain structure or function. "Non-
progressive" means that the lesion does not produce ongoing degeneration of the brain.
It is also implies that the brain lesion is the result of a one-time brain injury, that will
not occur again. Whatever the brain damage that occurred at the time of the injury is
the extent of damage for the rest of the child's life.
Cerebral palsy affects approximately one to three out of every thousand children born.
However, it is much higher in infants born with very low weight and in premature
infants.
Interestingly, new treatment methods that resulted in an increased survival rate of low-
birth weight and premature infants actually resulted in an overall increase number of
children with cerebral palsy. The new technologies, however, did not change the rate
of cerebral palsy in children born full term and with normal weight.
What are causes of cerebral palsy?
The term cerebral palsy does not indicate the cause or prognosis of the child with
cerebral palsy. There are many possible causes of cerebral palsy.
In full term infants the cause of cerebral palsy is usually prenatal and not related to
events at time of delivery; in most instances it is related to events that happened during
the pregnancy while the fetus is developing inside the mother's womb.
Premature birth is a risk factor for cerebral palsy. The premature brain is at a high risk
of bleeding, and when severe enough, it can result in cerebral palsy. Children that are
born prematurely can also develop serious respiratory distress due to immature and
poorly developed lungs. This can lead to periods of decreased oxygen delivered to the
brain that might result in cerebral palsy. A poorly understood brain process observed in
some premature infants is called periventricular leukomalacia. This is a disorder in
which holes form in the white matter of the premature infant's brain. The white matter
is necessary for the normal processing of signals that are transmitted throughout the
brain, and from the brain to the rest of the body.
White matter abnormalities are observed in many cases of cerebral palsy. Nevertheless,
it is important to recognize that the vast majority of premature infants, even those born
very prematurely, do not suffer from cerebral palsy. There have been many advances
in the field of neonatology (the care and study of problems affecting newborn infants)
which have enhanced the survival of very premature infants.
Other important causes of cerebral palsy include accidents of brain
development, genetic disorders, stroke due to abnormal blood vessels orblood clots, or
infections of the brain.
Even though it is widely believed that the most common cause of cerebral palsy is a
lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery (birth asphyxia), it is actually a very rare
cause of cerebral palsy. When cerebral palsy is the result of birth asphyxia, the infant
almost always suffers severe neonatal encephalopathy with symptoms during the first
few days of life. These symptoms include:
seizures,
irritability,
jitteriness,
feeding and respiratory problems,
lethargy, and
coma depending on the severity.
In rare instances, obstetrical accidents during particularly difficult deliveries can cause
brain damage and result in cerebral palsy. Conversely, it is very unlikely that cerebral
palsy symptoms would develop after a few years of age as a result of obstetrical
complications.
Child abuse during infancy can cause significant brain damage which, in turn, can lead
to cerebral palsy. This abuse often takes the form of severe shaking from a frustrated
parent or caregiver, causing hemorrhage in or just outside the brain. To further
compound the problem, many children with developmental abnormalities are at risk for
being abused. Thus, a child with cerebral palsy may be made significantly worse or
even killed by a single incident of abuse.
Despite the diversity of causes of cerebral palsy, many cases remain without a defined
cause. However, the enhanced ability to see the brain structure with magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans as well as improved diagnostic capabilities for
genetic disorders has made the number of such cases much lower.
Next: What are the types of cerebral palsy?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Next
Cerebral Palsy Index
Glossary
Suggested Reading on Cerebral Palsy by Our Doctors
Related Diseases & Conditions
23 articles
o Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD, Heartburn)
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid contents of the stomach
backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms
More
o Stroke
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to
as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident.
More
o Stress
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life.
However, over-stress, can be harmful. There
More
o Osteoporosis
Learn about osteoporosis, a condition characterized by the loss of bone density, which leads to an increased
risk of bone fracture. Unless one experiences
More
o Scoliosis
Scoliosis causes an abnormal curvature of the spine. When the cause of scoliosis is unknown the disorder is
described based on the age when the scoliosis
More
o Fracture
Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand the outside forces applied to the bone. Fractures can be open or
closed. Types of fractures include: greenstick,
More
o Seizure (Epilepsy)
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and
generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy.
More
o Child Abuse
Child abuse falls into four categories: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. There are
certain risk factors that predispose a child
More
o Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis (toxo) is a parasitic infection that causes flulike symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle
aches and pains that may last from a few days
More
o Aphasia
Aphasia is a condition that is the result of damage to portions of the brain. It can be caused by stroke, head
injury, brain tumor, or infection. There
More
o Genetic Disease
Genetic disease is a disorder or condition caused by abnormalities in a person's genome. Types of genetic
inheritance include single inheritance (for example,
More
o Dystonia
Dystonia disorders cause involuntary movements and prolonged muscle contraction, resulting in twisting body
motions, tremor, and abnormal posture. There
More
o Seizures Symptoms and Types
Seizures are divided into two categories: generalized and partial. Generalized seizures are produced by
electrical impulses from throughout the brain,
More
o Microcephaly
Microcephaly is a genetic condition where the circumference of the head is smaller than normal due to
underdeveloped brain. Microcephaly is caused by genetic
More
o Brain Lesions (Lesions on the Brain)
Brain lesions (lesions on the brain) are caused by trauma, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, cancers, other
diseases, stroke, bleeding, pituitary adenomas,
More
o Pregnancy Planning
Pregnancy planning is important to help prevent exposure of the mother and fetus to potentially harmful
medications and substances during the early days,
More
o Febrile Seizures
Febrile seizures, or convulsions caused by fever in small children or infants can be frightening, however, in
general are harmless. Febrile seizures is
More
o Bladder Spasms
People who have bladder spasms, the sensation occurs suddenly and often severely. A spasm itself is the
sudden, involuntary squeezing of a muscle. A bladder
More
o Encopresis
Encopresis is a type of elimination disorder in which bowel movements are passed into places other than the
toilet. Children with encopresis may have symptoms
More
o Caregiving
Most often, caregivers take care of other adults who are ill or disabled. Less often, caregivers are grandparents
raising their grandchildren. The majority
More
o Pregnancy and Drugs (Prescription and OTC)
Taking prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs or supplements should be discussed with your
doctor. There are some medications that have been
More
o Kernicterus (Newborn Jaundice)
Jaundice in infants occur when the baby's liver may not be developed enough to efficiently rid the body of
bilirubin. Symptoms of jaundice include yellowish
More
o Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)
Medications
3 articles
Procedures & Tests
5 articles
Pictures, Images & Illustrations
1 articles
Doctor's & Expert's Views
3 articles
Health News
13 articles
Health Features
1 articles
Privacy Policy
WebMD Daily
Get breaking medical news.
Enter email address
Slideshows | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Image C
Health categories:
Allergies | Arthritis | Blood Pressure | Cancer | Chronic Pain | Cold & Flu | Diabetes | Digestion | Eyes
Popular health centers: Hearing & Ear | Heart | Infectious Disease | Men's Health | Mental Health | News & Views | Pregnancy
Privacy Policy | Newsletters | RSS | Contact Us | Site Map | WebMD Corporate | WebMD® | Medscape
MedicineNet.com:
This site complies with theHONcode
standard for trustworthy ©1996-2011 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.
health information: MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional in
verify here.