Defining Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a disorder of movement and posture caused by damage to the developing brain.
- If a child has cerebral palsy it means that a part of the child's brain has not developed properly. The part of the brain that is damaged is usually that which controls muscles and body movements.
- The damage to the brain is non-progressive but as the child grows but as the child grows one may see changes due to developmental, maturation and intervention.
- damage to the brain is caused during the gestation period (prenatal); at the time of birth (perinatal); or during the early stages of the infants life (postnatal).
Cerebral Palsy is a condition, the main feature of which is Motor Dysfunction.
This means:
- abnormal muscle tone
- abnormal posture and movement