Different Forms of Cerebral Palsy
There are four different types of cerebral palsies
which may have their own set of different symptoms and challenges that they
present on the lives of the people who suffer with them.
One form of cerebral palsy is called athetoid cerebral palsy. Ten to twenty
percent of individual who suffer from cerebral palsy have this type. It is
characterized by uncontrolled, writhing, slow movements. Two risk factors are
associated with this type: hyperbilirubinemia; which is jaundice and RH incompatibility
with the mother. These factors are now routinely diagnosed and treated which
has brought down the number of cases of athetoid type cerebral palsy. In
infants, this Athetoid is very dangerous. Due to the symptoms, if an infant is
placed in an upright sitting position and has an exterior spasm, the child may
be at risk for falling or jerking backwards hitting their head. Proper
alignment and support of the hips, trunk and shoulders are crucial for these
children. To reduce these involuntary movements, the body, when placed in a
sitting, standing or symmetrical position should be positioned with attention
to the midline. This gives them more control of the movements in their arms,
which are the limbs most affected.
Quadriplegic patterns are very common in children
with C.P. Aside from their arms, they can use their extremities well enough to
take care of their daily activities by themselves and can walk, except in
children with severe athetoid who may not be able to walk independently, but
may be able to assist others in transferring them in and out of wheelchairs.
Some people have a hard time in feeding themselves and sitting without the use
of special equipment to give them support. Even though C.P. does not hinder
cognitive ability, the difficulties presented from athetoid may make speech and
communication in these individuals difficult, even with the use of therapy.
Therefore the use of augmentative communication devices is encouraged, as they
may necessary to help the child to function more normally.
Another form of cerebral palsy is called Ataxia. Ataxia is characterized by a
lack of balance or impairment in the ability to perform smooth coordinated
voluntary movements. It is rarely the primary motor dysfunction but is
frequently seen as a contributing difficulty in one of the other forms of the condition.
Ataxia results from damage to the brain’s cerebellum, which is the major center
for balance and coordination. This may affect the limbs, trunk, eyes and other
parts of the body. For children with C.P. the signals in the brain do not work
together correctly, resulting in limitations of balance capabilities. Children
with ataxia usually have an uncoordinated manner of walking or gait. They may
walk quickly to compensate so they do not lose their balance. They have
difficulty standing in place for long periods of time. However there are no
drugs or medications that can assist with this particular disability. Practice
is the best way to improvement in areas of balance and daily self care.
Physical therapists can assist in balance exercises and other activities to
improve their abilities.
The Mixed
form of cerebral palsy is used to describe a form of cerebral palsy that does
not fit neatly into one of the other forms of classification. There are
different types of movement disorders that may exist within the individual at
the same time. Because this mixture of movement disorders, individuals do not
fully fit into one category or another. The mixed term is used less frequently than
other descriptions. The forms that are most commonly classified as mixed are
Spastic and Athetoid forms of CP. In order to obtain this combination, there
has had to have been damage to the cerebral cortex (spastic) and the basal
ganglia (athetoid) areas of the
brain.
Spastic
Hypertonia is characterized by abnormal control of voluntary
limb muscles and by exaggerated reflexes, sometimes in association with a
reduction in muscle tone in the trunk of the body. The muscles are stiff and
permanently contracted which makes their movements awkward and presents varying
degrees of difficulty depending on the severity of the form. In spastic
hypertonia when a joint is moved passively, maximum resistance is felt after a
few degrees. In the most severe forms of spastic hypertonia, the affected part
of the muscles will be rigid whether they are flexed or extended. It is
important to also note that these symptoms are lessoned during sleep and are
exacerbated by stress or voluntary movement.
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