Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that appears in young children and is usually diagnosed by the time a child is 3. The disease is a brain disorder that causes a lack of muscle control. Most children are born with the condition, although it also can be caused by a brain infection or traumatic brain injury in infancy.
Symptoms
Noticeable problems with walking, exaggerated spasms and stiff or floppy muscle tone are the most recognizable symptoms of cerebral palsy.
Treatment
Although there is no cure for cerebral palsy, children can be helped with assistive devices and physical therapy to allow them to function better.
Surgery
Sometimes surgery is utilized to correct anatomical abnormalities and to loosen tight muscles, report doctors at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Causes
There is no definitive cause of cerebral palsy, though the condition is prevalent in premature babies who have bleeding on the brain, must be put on a ventilator or are born with other abnormalities.
Co-occurring Problems
Many children with cerebral palsy also have co-occurring medical problems because of the brain damage and the neurological difficulties that can include epilepsy, learning disabilities, ADHD and difficulty swallowing.
