Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by injury to the parts of the brain responsible for proper muscles and body control. It usually occurres before, during or shortly follows the delivery. Although its symptoms may change over time, cerebral palsy by definition is neither progressive nor communicable. The intensity of CP may range from mild to moderate or severe, however, if a patient shows increased impairment, the problem may be something other than cerebral palsy.

Doctors diagnose cerebral palsy by testing motor skills and reflexes, looking into medical history, and employing a variety of specialized tests.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks e.g. writing or using scissors, difficulty maintaining balance or walking, involuntary movements. Some patients suffering from CP are also affected by other medical disorders, including seizures or mental impairment. Infants with cerebral palsy are frequently slow to reach developmental milestones such as learning to roll over, sit, crawl, or walk.

The causes of cerebral palsy include illness during pregnancy, premature delivery, or lack of oxygen supply to the baby. It may also occur early in life as a result of an accident, lead poisoning, viral infection, child abuse, or other factors. Chief among the causes is an insufficient amount of oxygen or poor flow of blood reaching the fetal or newborn brain. This can be caused by premature separation of the placenta, an awkward birth position, labor that goes on too long or is too abrupt, or interference with the umbilical cord. Other causes may be associated with premature birth, RH or A-B-O blood type incompatibility betw\een parents, infection of the mother with German measles or other viral diseases in early pregnancy, and microorganisms that attack the newborn’s central nervous system. Lack of good prenatal care may also be a factor. A less common type is acquired cerebral palsy: head injury is the most frequent cause, usually the result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, or child abuse.
Although motor disability of a patient with CP varies greatly from one person to another, there are three main types of CP:
Spastic is the most common form of CP, where there is too much muscle tone or tightness. Movements are stiff, especially in the legs, arms, and/or back. Children with this form of CP move their legs awkwardly, turning in or scissoring their legs as they try to walk.
Athetoid CP (also called dyskinetic CP) can affect the entire body and involves slow, uncontrolled body movements and low muscle tone that makes it hard for the person to sit straight and walk.
Mixed CP is a combination of the symptoms listed above. Patients have both high and low tone muscle. Some muscles are too tight, and others are too loose, creating a mix of stiffness and involuntary movements.
Diplegia means that only the legs are affected.
Hemiplegia means that an arm and a leg on one side of the bosy are affected.
Quadriplegia involves both arms and legs affection, sometimes including facial muscles and torso.
There is no standard therapy that works for all patients. Drugs can be used to control seizures and muscle spasms. Special equipment e.g. braces (also called AFOs) may be used to hold the foot in place when the child stands or walks. Custom splints can provide support to help a child use his or her hands. A variety of therapy equipment and adapted toys are available to help children play and have fun while they are working their bodies. Activities such as swimming or horseback riding can help strengthen weaker muscles and relax the tighter ones. Furhermore, patients with CP may need different kinds of therapy to overcome their impairments. Physical therapy (PT) helps to develop the strenght of muscles such as those in the legs and trunk, as well as, to improve or develop skills such as walking, sitting, and maintaining balance. Occupational therapy (OT) develops fine motor skills such as dressing, feeding, writing, and other daily living tasks. Speech Therapy may help patients to develop communication skills focusing in particular on speaking, which may be difficult due to problems with muscle tone of the tongue and throat.
Euromed Rehabilitation Center in Poland offers an intense and complex therapy progam adjusted to needs of particular patients with Cerebral Palsy. For further details please check OUR OFFER.