Cerebral Palsy
1 in 400 people have cerebral palsy
Men and Women can have cerebral palsy
Men are more likely to be affected
Appears when you are young (infancy or early childhood)
Everyone is affected differently
Messages from your brain to your body get mixed up
It can affect your body movement
It can affect how you speak
Cause may not be known
Before Birth
Born early (before 37 weeks)
Infection such as rubella (German Measles)
Mother and baby have different blood types
Mother having high blood pressure
Brain may not develop fully
During Birth
Severe Lack of Oxygen Low birth weight
More than one baby being born at the same time
After Birth
Infection (meningitis)
Head Injury
Signs & Symptoms
Baby ‐ 6 months of age
Head floppy (lags) when picked up from a lying position
Baby can feel stiff or floppy
Legs get stiff and cross or scissor when baby is picked up
6 months ‐ 10 months
Doesn’t roll over in either direction
Cannot bring hands together (clapping)
Difficulty bringing hand to mouth
Reaches with one hand and other hand is fisted
10 months+
Crawls with a lopsided manner
Pushes off with one hand and leg – while dragging the opposite leg
Cannot stand without support
Some people with cerebral palsy can also have
Problems with their Eyes (vision)
Talking
Hearing
Touch (physical or perception sensation)
May also have
Epilepsy
Or a
Learning Disability
Three Types of Cerebral Palsy
Spasticity (most common)
Stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated movements
Athetoid (Dyskinetic)
Involuntary Movements
Athetoid (affects limbs)‐ limbs move in an uncontrolled way
Dyskinetic (affects body/trunk)
Ataxia
Lack of muscle coordination when performing voluntary movements
Affects walking
Arm movement
Poor balance
Affects the body
Hemiplegia
Affects one side of the body (arm and leg)
Diplegia
Mostly affects the legs, with face and hands only slightly affected
Quadriplegia
Severe stiffness in all arms and legs
May have a floppy neck which affects head control
May affect the trunk
Effects on activities of daily living
Breathing with increased risk of chest infections
Communication (talking and body movement)
Controlling your body temperature
Eating and drinking
Elimination (bowels and bladder)
Expressing sexuality
Mobilising
Maintaining a safe environment
Sleeping
Personal cleansing and dressing
Working and playing
Who Can Help
Physiotherapists (Physio’s):
Exercises (Mobility)
Postural Management (Sitting, Lying, stand ng)
Respiratory Management (Chest and breathing)
Specialist Therapies
Occupational Therapists (OT’s):
Specialist list equipment so you can take part in activities that you want or need to do
Speech & Language Therapists:
Communication
Swallowing Assessment
Eating and drinking
Dieticians:
Diet (Eating & Drinking
Orthoptist:
Specialist list footwear
Splints
Your Feedback – comments, concerns and complaints
NHS Lanarkshire is committed to improving the service it provides to patients and their families. We therefore want to hear from you about your experience. If you would like to tell us about this please visit our feedback page.
