Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of conditions which occur due to the loss of some of the function of the brain concerned with movement and posture. It affects about one child in 500 and damage can occur before birth or as a baby when the brain is immature.

Its effects vary widely: some children suffer only the slightest of disability, while some are almost totally disabled. Many children with quite severe movement problems are entirely normal mentally and have a high intelligence.  The condition does not progress, but may affect people differently over time

Causes

There is often no identifiable cause of cerebral palsy. There are a range of possible causes including:

• lack of oxygen during a difficult or premature delivery;
• abnormal bleeding of the foetal brain during the pregnancy;
• a genetic disorder (very rare);
• meningitis as a young child;
• head injury;
• infection of the foetus eg by rubella from the mother during pregnancy.

Treatment

Cellulitis almost always responds readily and quickly to antibiotic drugs. In severe cases these antibiotics are given by injection directly into a vein for a few days, followed by oral antibiotic pills for one or two weeks.

Symptoms

Much can be done to help children to control their muscular action and to prevent deformity from muscle contractures. Special equipment, and in some cases even surgery, may help. Children can attend school, and those with severe problems will benefit from going to schools dedicated to their special needs.

A range of health professionals are available to help people with cerebral palsy such as speech therapists, neurologists, physiotherapists and paediatricians, as well as GPs and community nurses

Symptoms

Babies with cerebral palsy may be 'floppy', have feeding problems or be difficult to settle. When the paralysis (palsy) becomes apparent it may affect mainly their legs, or it may affect all four limbs, or one side of the body only. Weakness or stiffness, and reluctance to use

At about six months the baby begins to have tightness of the muscles. This is called spasticity. One effect of this is that the limbs take up characteristic abnormal positions because some muscle groups are stronger than others. The ankles tend to be straightened out, as if the child were trying to walk on tiptoe, and the affected arms are bent at the elbow and wrist.

Children with cerebral palsy are to a greater or lesser extent unable to control movement properly and may also move and jerk uncontrollably. They almost always have difficulty in walking, but this may vary from very slight to total. Commonly the legs press tightly together, causing the typical 'scissors gait'. Speech may also be affected.

Children with cerebral palsy may also develop other problems such as: constipation, sleep problems, learning difficulty, speech and language, epilepsy.