Primary Types of Cerebral Palsy
There
are three types of cerebral palsy. Spastic CP is the most common form and
affects the body’s ability to relax muscles, causing tightness and difficulties
in movement. Athetoid cerebral palsy affects the ability to control muscles,
leading to involuntary and uncontrolled movements in the affected muscles.
Children with Ataxic CP have a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception,
characterized by tremors or shaky movements. Each case of cerebral palsy affects
a child differently, and some have more than one form of CP (Mixed cerebral
palsy).
Most cerebral palsy conditions are caused by a brain injury that occurred during pregnancy or birth (congenital), or in the months/years following birth (Acquired CP). Click here to read more about the common causes of Cerebral Palsy. Typically, these disorders are caused by faulty development of or damage to motor areas in the brain that disrupt the brain's ability to control movement and posture.
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
A form of cerebral palsy that causes tightness in the muscles. Because of this tightness, spastic cerebral palsy patients have a difficult time controlling their movement.
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
Involuntary movements - uncontrolled/unwanted movements.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Jerky, uncoordinated movements caused by a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception.
"After all the information came out, I was bitter. But eventually I put it in my heart to forgive.
It's not about the money, but it helps a lot, because brain injury causes a lot of problems that
you don't know about early on."
"First, you cry. You bawl. You ask yourself, 'why me?' But then I looked at Nathan and I
thought, 'He's exactly the same kid he was before. Now you just know more.'"
"I would tell anyone who's had an experience like ours to keep asking questions.
Don't let them go unanswered. Get a qualified lawyer to look into your case, and don't give up hope."
"The saddest moment came when Ken told us that if Lizzy had been born any time between when I came
in at 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., she would be fine. The doctor had misread the fetal monitoring strips.
She had made a mistake."
