Cerebral Palsy Fact Sheet

People with cerebral palsy, like those with other birth defects, need the opportunity to live as normal a life as possible. As with other disabilities, there are varying degrees of cerebral palsy.

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a functional disorder caused by damage to the brain during pregnancy, delivery, or shortly after birth. "Cerebral" means brain, "palsy" means a disorder of movement or posture. Cerebral palsy is classified according to movement:

spasticity: tight limb muscles

athetosis: involves purposeless movements

rigidity: severe form of spasticity, usually quadriplegic (involving arms and legs)

cerebral ataxia: lack of balance

Cerebral palsy is often accompanied by seizures, swallowing, drooling, incoordination, abnormal speech, hearing impairment, visual impairment, and/or mental retardation (mild to severe).

Facts:

Many people with cerebral palsy can understand what you're saying. Some learn to communicate with computers.

Cerebral palsy is not inherited, with the exception of a very rare type.

About 25% of cases come from a prenatal cause (virus, unnecessary x-rays, drugs, anemia, lack of proper nutrition, premature delivery.

About 40% of cases are caused by lack of oxygen or an injury during birth or shortly after.

Approximately 30% of the causes are unknown.

500,000-700,000 children and adults in the U.S. have one or more symptoms of cerebral palsy.

How can cerebral palsy be prevented?

Be healthy before conception (the beginning of pregnancy).

Get early, continual prenatal care.

Get immunizations before pregnancy.

Treat the newborn for jaundice, if affected.

Protect the newborn from accidents or injury.

Can cerebral palsy be treated?

A child with cerebral palsy should be helped to reach his/her potential. Effective programs use doctors, therapists, nurses, educators, social workers. In some cases surgery is effective.

Specific resources

United Cerebral Palsy Association of Washington, (206) 632-6191.

Watch the movie "My Left Foot" on video.

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Information compiled from United Cerebral Palsy Association of Washington.