Cerebral palsy is a group of chronic conditions affecting body
movements and muscle coordination. Due to damage to one or more parts of the
brain that control movement, an affected child cannot move his or her muscles
normally. While symptoms range from mild to severe, the condition does not get
worse as the child gets older. With treatment, most children can significantly
improve their abilities.
Many children with cerebral palsy have other problems as well, including
seizures, vision, hearing and speech problems, learning disabilities, and mental
retardation. These require treatment as well.
There are three main types: spastic (stiff and difficult movement); athetoid
(involuntary and uncontrolled movement); and ataxic (disturbed sense of balance
and depth perception). To treat cerebral palsy, a team of health care
professionals works with the child and fmaily to create a treatment plan, which
may include physical therapy, braces, drugs to ease spasticity, surgery, speech
therapy and more.