| Cerebral Palsy, then commonly known as "cerebral | | | | Types of Cerebral Palsy |
| paralysis", was first recognized in 1860 by William | | | | This disorder can be categorized into four types and |
| Little, a British surgeon. Little increased the possibility | | | | these are ataxic, athetoid, spastic, and mixed:o |
| that asphyxia during the birth of a child is the main | | | | Ataxic- this type of CP affects to about 5 to 10 |
| cause. But not until 1897, a well known neurologist | | | | percent of most CP patients. Ataxic is characterized |
| named Sigmund Freud suggested that difficult birth | | | | by the deficits to the balance and depth sensitivity |
| was not a basis but rather a symptom of some | | | | that results to poor coordination in fine motor tasks.o |
| other effects on fetal progress. During the 1980's, a | | | | Athetoid- a type of CP that affects to about 10 to |
| research conducted by NINDS or National Institute of | | | | 20% of most CP patients. Athetoid is characterized |
| Neurological Disorders and Stroke, suggested also | | | | by very slow movements. Uncontrollable movements |
| that only some cases are caused by asphyxia during | | | | usually occur in hands, arms, legs, and feet. Also, face |
| child birth. | | | | and tongue muscles can be affected that may result |
| The word "cerebral" in medical term is for the brain | | | | into drooling or grimacing. Affected tongue muscles |
| while "palsy" means the disorder of the posture or | | | | may also result to difficulty in speaking.o Spastic- the |
| movement. By the definition, it describes to a group | | | | most common type of CP that accounts to about 70 |
| of situation wherein the posture and movement are | | | | to 80 percent of all CP patients. Spastic is |
| very affected as a result to the damage done to | | | | characterized by the stiffing of limb muscles that can |
| one or more parts of the brain. | | | | result to permanent contraction.o Mixed- this type of |
| Depending on which part of the brain was damaged, | | | | CP affects to about 30 percent of all CP cases. |
| the following conditions may be present although | | | | Symptoms are like to one of the three types stated |
| every individual is affected in a very different way:o | | | | above. Furthermore, athetoid and spastic forms of |
| Coordination and balance problemso Difficulty in | | | | CP can coexist. |
| maintaining and controlling of posture (like when a | | | | In general, it is not a progressive type where the |
| person wants to sit upright, help is required)o Having | | | | brain can't get any worse. Application of regular and |
| an epilepsy (one out of three in children have an | | | | appropriate therapy is provided so as to improve |
| epilepsyo Difficulty in talking, drinking, and eating | | | | mobility and coordination skills. |
| (swallowing)o Difficulty in learning process | | | | |