Living with CP
Living with Cerebral Palsy and
The Effects on Childhood and Family
Living with Cerebral Palsy:
In the Childhood Years
Brain Damage
Cerebral palsy usually is caused by factors that interfere with normal development of the brain before birth. In some cases, genetic defects can be a contributor to the disruption of normal brain development; other cases are caused by injuries to the developing brain. According to Levete (2010), “Approximately 70% of cerebral palsy occurs during pregnancy, 20% during birth, and 10% during the first two years of life,” (p. 10). The term cerebral palsy refers to a group of conditions that affect movement, balance, and posture, caused by damage to a baby or young child’s brain (p. 8). This damage causes the brain to send wrong messages to the muscles, which results in the muscles being too stiff or floppy, which leads to difficulty moving and difficulty controlling movements of these muscles and limbs.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy can differ among individuals; it affects everyone a little differently. There are three types of cerebral palsy that affects three different parts of the brain. The amount of damage and the location depends on what type of cerebral palsy an individual may have. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common among all types, caused by damage to the cortex; it affects the muscles, making them stiff, weak, tight, or floppy (Levete, 2010, p. 14). Spastic cerebral palsy can affect numerous limbs, anywhere from just one limb to all of them; this can differ in different individuals and can affect them greatly or very little. Another type of Cerebral Palsy is Athetoid, which is caused by damage to the Basal Ganglia (p. 14). According to Levete, a person with Athetoid cerebral palsy is unable to control the movements of their muscles that affect their coordination and it causes jerky movements; often it also affects speech, hearing and digestion (p. 14). Ataxic cerebral
The Effects on Childhood and Family
Living with Cerebral Palsy:
In the Childhood Years
Brain Damage
Cerebral palsy usually is caused by factors that interfere with normal development of the brain before birth. In some cases, genetic defects can be a contributor to the disruption of normal brain development; other cases are caused by injuries to the developing brain. According to Levete (2010), “Approximately 70% of cerebral palsy occurs during pregnancy, 20% during birth, and 10% during the first two years of life,” (p. 10). The term cerebral palsy refers to a group of conditions that affect movement, balance, and posture, caused by damage to a baby or young child’s brain (p. 8). This damage causes the brain to send wrong messages to the muscles, which results in the muscles being too stiff or floppy, which leads to difficulty moving and difficulty controlling movements of these muscles and limbs.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy can differ among individuals; it affects everyone a little differently. There are three types of cerebral palsy that affects three different parts of the brain. The amount of damage and the location depends on what type of cerebral palsy an individual may have. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common among all types, caused by damage to the cortex; it affects the muscles, making them stiff, weak, tight, or floppy (Levete, 2010, p. 14). Spastic cerebral palsy can affect numerous limbs, anywhere from just one limb to all of them; this can differ in different individuals and can affect them greatly or very little. Another type of Cerebral Palsy is Athetoid, which is caused by damage to the Basal Ganglia (p. 14). According to Levete, a person with Athetoid cerebral palsy is unable to control the movements of their muscles that affect their coordination and it causes jerky movements; often it also affects speech, hearing and digestion (p. 14). Ataxic cerebral