Cerebral Palsy by Megan Kinnunen Lauren Huotari What

Cerebral Palsy by: Megan Kinnunen & Lauren Huotari

What is Cerebral Palsy A condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth

Causes of cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy may be caused during pregnancy, but can also be caused by complications at birth or injury of illness after birth. ● Drama to the brain at or before birth ● The brain can become an unusual shape ● Shortage of oxygen to the brain The causes of cerebral palsy include prematurity, genetic disorders, strokes, and infection of the brain

Risk Factors ● Premature birth ● Low birth weight ● Bacterial infection of the mother, fetus or infant that directly or indirectly attack the infant’s central nervous system ● Lack of growth factors during intra-uterine life ● Prolonged loss of oxygen during the birthing process ● RH blood type incompatibility between mother and infant ● Severe jaundice shortly after birth ● Infection of the mother with German measles or other viral diseases in early pregnancy

Effects A group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions, such as difficulty with: ● Movement ● Learning ● Hearing ● Seeing ● Thinking ● Speech

Symptoms There are different types of CP based on symptoms-● Spastic ● Hypotonic ● Choreoathetoid ● Mixed types ● Stiff muscles (spasticity) ● Uncontrollable movements (dyskinesia) ● Poor balance and coordination (ataxia)

Most common Cerebral Palsy is more common in males than in females the reasons for this is uncertain CP is the most common motor disability in children

Life Expectancy Most children with cerebral palsy can live a long life. Other times, newborns will pass away at or soon after birth. Which means the brain injury was too severe to live. These five factors may affect life expectancy: ● Severity level ● Feeding difficulties ● Seizures ● Visual acuity ● Respiratory functioning

Treatment Overview Cerebral Palsy (CP) can not be cured ● Variety of treatments can help people who have CP ● Make the most of their abilities and physical strength ● prevent complications ● improve their quality of life

Treatments ● Physical Therapy--help the child become as mobile as possible, which is important to begin as soon as the child is diagnosed ● Medications--help control some of the symptoms and prevent complications ● Surgery--certain surgeries can be used for a child with severe problems ● Devices and equipment--braces cast and splints

Classifications These are based on motor functions ● Spastic cerebral palsy--characterized by increased muscle tone ● Non-spastic cerebral palsy--exhibit decreased or fluctuating muscle tone Muscle tone ● Hypertonia/hypertonic--increased muscle tone, often result in very stiff limbs

Facts ● CP does not get worse but the symptoms may change in a person ● All people with CP have problems with posture and movement ● CP is usually found when the child is around 1 years old ● 1 in every 323 people are born with CP ● CP can’t be prevented but you can lesson the risk of having a child with CP

Statistics ● 764, 000 children and adults in the U. S. have had one or more of the symptoms of cerebral palsy ● 10, 000 babies born in the U. S. will develop cerebral palsy, according to the center of Disease Control and Prevention (DCP)

Costs ● Lifetime medical costs for children born with CP pay millions of dollars. ● Some say 1, 014, 000 is the average cost ● When a child is 3 years or younger, the state legally must provide an early program.

Works Cited "sign in. " Cerebral palsy. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 May 2014. <http: //www. marchofdimes. com/baby/cerebralpalsy. aspx>. "Data & Statistics for Cerebral Palsy. " Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Dec. 2013. Web. 21 May 2014. <http: //www. cdc. gov/ncbddd/cp/data. html>. "Cerebral Palsy Types and Causes. " Web. MD, n. d. Web. 22 May 2014. http: //www. webmd. com/brain/understanding-cerebral-palsy-basic-information>. "Cerebral Palsy: Get the Facts about this Group of Disorders. " Medicine. Net. N. p. , n. d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http: //www. medicinenet. com/cerebral_palsy/article. htm>.