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