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Introduction
Cerebral Palsy (CP) refers to dysfunction of motor functions which cause disability in physical activity, sensation and perception. This condition is non progressive and non contagious. The damage to the motor centers in the brain due to different etiological factors like accident during pregnancy, at birth or after, multiple pregnancies can lead to CP with other musculoskeletal defects. In a study done across six countries the incidence of CP was 2.12-2.45 per 1000 live births. According to the symptoms and features CP can be divided into 4 subtypes: | |
| | Spastic Cerebral Palsy
It is a neuromuscular impairment in which the muscles are in a hypertonic state. It is the most common for of CP occurring in 60 - 70 % of cases. It may involve both upper limbs and lower limbs (quadriplegia), lower limbs (diplegia), one sided (hemiplegia) depending on the side of the brain affected due to injury. The effect on the lower extremities is most common for also called as Spastic diplegia involving 70-80% of cases. Most of the patients are unable to walk but if they do walk the knees and the hips are flexed with adduction. The patients are provided with crutches, walking sticks or other devices to assist in walking after identification of gait. | |
| | Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
It is caused due to the damage to cerebellum affecting the motor functions of the brain like writing, typing, balancing while walking. The muscles are in a state of hypotonia and have tremors. | |
| | Dyskinetic
It is caused due to the damage to basal ganglia leading to inability to hold them while walking or sitting and have involuntary motions. | |
| | Hypotonic
Due to the hypotonic muscle tone the patient is not able to move the muscle only a little amount of muscle movement is seen. | |