TYPES OF CEREBRAL PALSY
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There are many different types of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a broad term used to define motor impairment that is caused by a brain injury regardless of the causes or effects on the individual.
Types of cerebral palsy are classified by the type of movement problems caused by brain impairment or by the parts of the body that are affected and may be classified as "mild" to "severe".
Motor disability types of CP
Spastic: Spastic cerebral palsy causes movements to be stiff or difficult to execute. In these types of cerebral palsy the muscles may not be able to relax properly.
Ataxic: In Ataxic cerebral palsy, balance and coordinated movements are difficult to achieve. Depth perception problems are also common in these types of cerebral palsy cases.
Athetoid: Athetoid cerebral palsy is classified as the inability to control muscle movements or involuntary muscle movement.
Brachial : Brachial plexus palsy causes muscle paralysis.
Mixed: Mixed cerebral palsy involves a combination of these conditions.
Types of CP that define the affected parts of the body
Hemiplegia: involves the types of cerebral palsy that affect one side of the body. Usually one arm and one leg are impaired in hemiplegia and is usually the result of a cerebrovascular accident (stroke) that occurs while the child is a fetus or during infancy.
Diplegia: is the term used in the types of cerebral palsy that affect the lower extremities. These patients may be able to control arm and trunk functions but have the most difficulty with leg movement.
Quadriplegia: is used to define the types of cerebral palsy that affect all four extremities and impair trunk and neck muscle movements. This is often the most severe form of cerebral palsy and is therefore usually the most debilitating. Children with quadriplegia combined with severe mental disability often have a lower survival rate than people with other types of cerebral palsy.
Why is CP broken down into these types?
The types of cerebral palsy are classified in these ways to better facilitate communication about the ways that cerebral palsy can affect patients. The terms describing muscle impairment and the terms used to delineate the affected parts of the body are often coupled in diagnoses to describe how and where cerebral palsy disability manifests in a patient.
The qualitative terms “mild”, “moderate”, and “severe” are employed to describe the types of cerebral palsy. These subjective words do not convey a specific meaning, but are used relationally to describe how debilitating the cerebral palsy condition is for an individual.
If you or a loved one suffer from one of these types of cerebral palsy as a result of another's actions or negligence, please contact us to confer with an attorney who can determine your eligibility for filing a claim to seek compensation for your losses.
