Cerebral palsy describes a number of neurological disorders which affects muscle coordination and body movement. The word cerebral applies to the brain and palsy applies to problems with the muscles. It's important to understand that cerebral palsy is not a problem with the muscles or nerves themselves, but problems in various parts of the brain itself which controls muscle movement.
Cerebral palsy can have a number of different symptoms depending on which part of the brain has been damaged and the level of severity with the disorder. Any of the following can be a symptom of cerebral palsy or a combination of the following: Mobility problems, involuntary movement, muscle spasticity, problems with speaking, sucking, or swallowing, problems with vision or hearing, seizures, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and mental retardation. The cerebral palsy disorder may also cause problems with self care tasks including feeding, breathing, and bladder control. While some people with cerebral palsy will be able to function without help in their day-to-day routines, including using special equipment to manage daily tasks on their own, other people with a more severe form of cerebral palsy will require a caregiver to provide regular care for the person to survive.
There are different types of cerebral palsy including spastic, Athetoid or dyskinetic, ataxic, and mixed.
Spastic cerebral palsy: This affects most of the people with cerebral palsy. This form involves people with stiff and contracted muscles. Doctor's often describe the spastic cerebral palsy by referring to which parts of the body are affected, such as spastic quadriplegia which affects many parts of the body including the arms and legs, or spastic diplegia which affects the legs.
Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy: This type of cerebral palsy produces uncontrolled movements that often affect the hands, feet, arms, and legs. It can also affect the face, and cause a drooping effect or drooling. This type of cerebral palsy may also affect the speech.
Ataxic cerebral palsy: People with this form of cerebral palsy have difficulty with balance and depth perception. People with ataxic cerebral palsy will have poor coordination and difficulty with fast or precise movements including such tasks as writing.
Mixed cerebral palsy: This involves the person having multiple types of cerebral palsy, such as a combination of spastic and Athetoid.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by a number of factors, including a lack of oxygen to the infant before, during, or after birth, head trauma, infections, premature delivery, and other reasons. Some of the causes of cerebral palsy can be prevented, such as the negligence of an obstetrician, nurse, or hospital. If your child has cerebral palsy, it may be the result of medical malpractice. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, you should contact California cerebral palsy lawyer Dr. Bruce Fagel for a free consultation at (800) 541-9376. Dr. Bruce Fagel is a leading medical malpractice lawyer and a licensed medical doctor.
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