Apr 23 2008
Extra Credit #3 Cerebral Palsy
I remembered that cerebral palsy was brought up in class a couple of times. I was unsure of what this condition was all about…so I did some further research. Cererbral palsy is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement and motor skills. Even simple movements such as standing can be difficult for those with cerebral palsy. Other vital functions such as breathing, bladder and bowel control, eating and learning are also affected when a child has cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy can also lead to other health issues including vision, hearing and speech problems and learning disabilities.
Cerebral Palsy is usually caused by brain damage that occurs before or during a child’s birth, or during the first 3-5 years of a child’s life. Cerebral palsy is one of the most common congenital disorders of childhood. About 500,000 children and adults of all ages have this condition.
There are 3 types of cerebral palsy:
1) static cerebral palsy-causes stiffness and moving difficulties
2)athetoid cerebral palsy-leads to involuntary and uncontrolled movements
3)ataxic cerebral palsy-causes a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception
There is no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatment, therapy, special equipment and in some cases surgery can help those living with this condition. Cerebral palsy does not get worse over time.
One Response to “Extra Credit #3 Cerebral Palsy”
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You weren’t alone on that. I had no idea what cerebral palsy was before I read your blog. I’ve heard a little about the seriousness of this condition but I didn’t realize how serious it was. I also didn’t realize that it was as common as it is. This was helpful in teaching me about cerebral palsy.