Cerebral Palsy (CP)

My project two assignment focuses on the physical disability Cerebral Palsy (CP). A condition that was first defined in 1860 by William Little. A person with cerebral palsy has difficulty controlling movement and posture and may have problems with walking, talking, eating and playing. 1 to 3 in 1,000 births in Ireland are diagnosed with the disability with both male and females affected. It is not a genetic condition and the prevalence of cerebral palsy is on the increase mainly due to the increase in survival of very pre-term babies.

According to the Unit 5 hand out, over 90% of all children affected by cerebral palsy are affected before or during birth (congenital). These causes could include:

Congenital Causes:

- Infection/ illness during

• Quadriplegia - Spastic quadriplegia is the most severe form of spastic CP and affects all four limbs, the trunk, and the face. People with spastic quadriparesis usually cannot walk and often have other developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability; seizures; or problems with vision, hearing, or speech.

- Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

People with athetoid or dyskinetic CP have problems controlling the movement of their limbs making it difficult to move and walk. Muscle tone fluctuates regularly between being too tight and being too loose. The movements are uncontrollable, varying from slow to rapid and jerky. Involuntary movement does tend to subside during rest and sleep.

- Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Ataxic cerebral palsy is the least common type of cerebral palsy. Ataxia is the least common form of cerebral palsy. People with ataxic CP generally have tremors and shaky limbs due to inaccurate movements and lack of coordination. Ataxic cerebral palsy affects balance and depth perception.

- Mixed Forms of Cerebral

Oral motor dysfunction is common in people with CP. The face and tongue are affected and the person can have a hard time swallowing and speech can be affected due to breathing problems and tongue and vocal chord control which results in difficulty communicating; these are considered secondary conditions of cerebral palsy.

Other associative conditions such as intellectual impairment, epileptic seizures, hearing impairment, or vision impairment do not result from the same brain injury that caused cerebral palsy, but do occur frequently in those with the condition. It is estimated that approximately 50% of children with CP have some form of learning difficulties, however it must be noted also that some children with CP are very intelligent. Sometimes children with CP have difficulty processing information about shapes, speed and space – this is often referred to as a visual or spatial perception difficulty.

Children with cerebral palsy may have difficulties with dental problems and sleeping as well as toileting due to bowel, bladder and digestive