Cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is a group of permanent disorders affecting movement and posture, caused by damage to or abnormal development of the developing brain. Its effects vary and may include changes in muscle tone, coordination, and balance.

Motor control: The nervous system processes that plan, initiate, and regulate movement. Cerebral palsy disrupts the systems that coordinate voluntary movement and posture.
Spasticity: A velocity-dependent increase in muscle resistance caused by abnormal reflex activity. It is the most common motor feature of cerebral palsy.
Constraint-induced movement therapy: A rehabilitation approach that encourages use of an affected limb by restricting the less-affected limb. It can help improve practiced arm use in unilateral cerebral palsy.
Premature birth: Birth before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Prematurity raises the risk of brain injury associated with cerebral palsy.
Epilepsy: A neurological disorder characterized by an enduring tendency to have unprovoked seizures. Epilepsy is a common co-occurring condition, especially with more extensive brain injury.
Neuroplasticity: The nervous system’s capacity to change its structure or function through development, learning, or injury. Developing brains can reorganize after injury, shaping how impairments and abilities emerge.
Dystonia: A movement disorder involving sustained or intermittent muscle contractions that cause abnormal postures or movements. Dystonia can cause twisting movements and postures in some cerebral palsy presentations.
Selective dorsal rhizotomy: A neurosurgical procedure that cuts selected sensory nerve rootlets to reduce lower-limb spasticity. It is considered for some children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: Brain injury caused by insufficient oxygen and blood flow around birth. It is one possible cause, though most cerebral palsy does not result from birth asphyxia.
Dysphagia: Difficulty swallowing safely or effectively. Oral motor impairments can make eating and drinking difficult for some people with cerebral palsy.

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