Cerebral palsy is a group of developmental conditions that affects movement and balance. Some babies have other conditions associated with cerebral palsy, like seizures and mental retardation. According to 2007 information from the March of Dimes, about 2 to 3 children in 1,000 are diagnosed with cerebral palsy in the United States every year.
Causes
According to the Mayo Clinic, most causes of cerebral palsy occur before the baby is born. These include infections, like cytomegalovirus and German measles, or rubella, strokes and lack of oxygen. In many cases, the root cause can never be found.
Types
According to the March of Dimes, there are three basic types of cerebral palsy: spastic, athetoid and ataxic. Children with spastic cerebral palsy, which is the most common type, have stiff muscle movements, making it difficult to walk or move the affected part of the body. In children with athetoid, or dyskinetic, cerebral palsy, the whole body is involved, and the child has difficulty controlling all muscle movements. Children with ataxic type have problems with balance and coordination.
Features
Babies can exhibit some early signs of cerebral palsy. These include difficulty controlling their heads and stiffening and crossing their legs when picked up. As the baby gets older, he may have problems crawling or standing without support.
