Cerebral Palsy

By definition, cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement, muscle tone and posture that is caused by injury or improper development of the brain before birth. Signs of this disorder are often apparent during infancy or pre-school and may include rigidity in the limbs and trunk, exaggerated refluxes, unbalanced walking, varying muscle tone, developmental delays with regard to motor and speech skills, seizures and more. This disorder is usually attributable to a disruption in the brain’s development that occurs before birth, such as fetal stroke, hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), a traumatic head injury or a maternal infection. While no cure currently exists for this disorder, certain medications combined with physical therapy, special devices such as splints and braces, and sometimes surgery can help patients lead a more normal life with CP.