Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that affects the ability to control muscle functions in various parts of the body. There are several forms of CP involving one or a combination of the following symptoms: muscle tightness or spasticity, involuntary body movements, awkward walking patterns and posture, muscle weakness and difficulty swallowing or speaking.

“Cerebral” means brain and “palsy” means muscle weakness or poor control. Although scientists do not completely understand what causes CP, it is most often caused by injury or abnormal development in areas of the brain that control the affected muscle functions.

The symptoms of the disorder range from mild to severe. In the mild form, there may be minor speech impairment or limb stiffness, whereas in the severe form muscles of the entire body may be affected. The four major types of CP – spastic, athetoid, ataxic and mixed – are categorized by the kind of abnormal movements involved.

The majority of people with CP are born with the disorder. CP most frequently develops due to genetic problems affecting brain development. It may occasionally be caused by infections passed on from the mother during pregnancy (e.g., German measles) and as a result of difficult or premature birth. Whenever the supply of blood and oxygen through the placenta to the fetus is disrupted, the newborn’s risk of having some form of CP increases. Children can also develop CP in the first two to three years of life following brain injuries such as shaken baby syndrome, near drowning, accidents and falls. In some cases there is no known cause of the disorder.

Early signs of CP can appear in the first 18 months of life. Infants with CP may be stiff, rigid or their heads may flop over because they cannot control their neck muscles. Children with CP may be slow to reach normal developmental milestones, such as sitting up, rolling over, crawling, smiling and walking. They may be withdrawn or lethargic and appear disconnected from social interaction. Parents are usually the first to notice, but pediatricians often notice developmental delays as well.

Diagnosing CP often involves ruling out other conditions with similar symptoms (e.g., multiple sclerosis). Neurological examinations and brain imaging tests (e.g., ultrasound, computed axial tomography scan) as well as family medical history and observation of the child’s development and motor skills help neurologists pinpoint the type and severity of the disorder. Many children with CP also have other disorders including mental retardation, seizures and visual, speech or other sensory impairment. The presence of these additional disorders can complicate CP diagnosis.

There is no cure for CP. Once a child has been diagnosed, numerous treatment options are available to improve muscle function and quality of life. They include surgery to loosen tight muscles and tendons, orthopedic braces to support the legs and improve the child’s gait, medications to reduce muscle spasticity (stiffness), physical therapy, occupational and speech therapy. The majority of children with CP live into adulthood (past the age of 20) and depending on the severity of their disorder can lead relatively normal lives.