Cerebral palsy is an umbrella phrase for a group of disorders, distressing body movement, balance and posture. Loosely translated, cerebral palsy also means “brain paralysis.” Cerebral palsy is caused by anomalous development or injury in one or more parts of the brain that is in command of muscle, tone and motor activity or movement. The resulting impairments first appear in the beginning years of the life, usually in infancy or early childhood. Infants with cerebral palsy are generally slow to attain developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking.

There are many visible signs of Cerebral Palsy, which include eating difficulties, digestive problems, learning disabilities, breathing problems, trouble in hearing, and problems with walking, posture and coordination. If one starts experiencing these signs, it is advised that they should seek medical help as soon as possible, as it might get late and hard to be cured.

Congenital cerebral palsy is the more common category. It is very difficult to diagnose this form of disorder that might have resulted in damage to the brain in different ways like infection or harm caused during pregnancy, labor or delivery. It can also occur if the child is born with jaundice and it is not treated.

The important thing that distinguishes cerebral palsy with other diseases, is that condition of the child suffering from cerebral palsy, does not get severe with the passage of time instead it remains the same. But, if the condition of a child is continuously deteriorating, some other options can be considered.

Immature infants sometimes develop serious respiratory problems due to immature and poorly developed lungs. This can result in decreased oxygen supply to the brain and consequently causes cerebral palsy. Other commonly occurring causes of cerebral palsy are found due to accidents of brain development, genetic disorders, stroke or infections of the brain. There are certain cases reported where child abuse during infancy is also found to cause significant brain damage which, in turn, can lead to cerebral palsy.

The main symptoms of cerebral palsy are difficulty in controlling and coordinating muscles; mental retardation, seizures, breathing problems, learning disabilities, bladder and bowel control problems, skeletal deformities, eating difficulties, dental problems, digestive problems, and hearing and vision problems are often linked to cerebral palsy. The intensity of the symptoms varies from individual to individual. One positive note about cerebral palsy is that although the magnitude of the problem varies over time but the condition of the patient remain stable and the disease does not get worsen over time.

Delays in the developmental process that involve inability to control motor movements are obvious signs of cerebral palsy. The child might face difficulty in walking, crawling, controlling the head or sitting alone. A few children suffering with cerebral palsy show symptoms of retardation. They might have speech problems as well as difficulty in swallowing normally. Some children have hearing problems that can cause delayed speech in those children. Another symptom is the problem in vision and abnormality in the teeth. If anybody recognizes the symptoms of cerebral palsy in a child, he/she must contact the doctor as soon as possible.

In short, Cerebral Palsy is a disease which is not caused by some sort of virus or bacteria rather it is the malfunctioning of the body parts. So far, no cure has been found, but it is good for the patient if it is detected in the early years of life.

Find more aboutCerebral palsy here.

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