Cerebral Palsy is a birth injury that affects a child’s ability to control their muscle movements.
Cerebral Palsy is a serious birth injury resulting from brain damage that affects a child’s ability to control their muscle movements, balance, and posture. The muscles that the condition affects depends on which type of Cerebral Palsy the child has. Here are the four main types of Cerebral Palsy.
Spastic
Also known as Pyramidal, Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common type, affecting more than 70 percent of all diagnosed patients. Patients who have this type have stiff, tight muscles that they are unable to relax. The joints become very difficult to move. Often times, patients with Spastic Cerebral Palsy have trouble controlling movements, eating, and even speaking. This type is caused by damage to the brain’s motor cortex or pyramidal tracts.
Athetoid
This is a more rare form of Cerebral Palsy, affecting only 10 percent to 20 percent of people with the condition. This type causes the patient to have uncontrollable muscle movements such as writhing of the body and sudden jerking of the legs, arms, hands, and feet. Athetoid Cerebral Palsy generally affects the upper body more than the lower and can also affect muscles in the face, making it hard to eat or speak. This type is typically caused by birth asphyxia, which is the lack of oxygen during birth.
Ataxic
With Ataxic Cerebral Palsy, the patient has control over their movements, but they often come with bad tremors. This makes it hard to perform regular tasks such as buttoning a shirt or writing. It can also cause them to have difficulty walking. This type is caused by damage to the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls motor function.
Mixed
This type is simply just a mixture of any of the types listed above. A child could have some muscles that are tight and hard to move, while other parts of the body have a tremor when moved. Mixed Cerebral Palsy means that there was damage to multiple parts of the brain. The most common combination is a mix of Athetoid and Spastic, but pretty much any combination is possible.
Has Your Child Been Diagnosed With Cerebral Palsy? Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
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