What Is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is defined as a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination (spastic paralysis) and/or other disabilities, typically caused by damage to the brain before or at birth. Although Cerebral palsy is not contagious, a person can intentionally or unintentionally increase the possibility a child will develop Cerebral Palsy through abuse, medical malpractice, negligence, or the spread of a bacterial or viral infection (Stern, 2017). Cerebral palsy was first introduced in the mid 1800's by Dr. William John Little, whom suffered from several illnesses. He wrote the first medical descriptions, detailing a disorder that caused a spastic, stiff muscular disorder within children. Cerebral Palsy made it difficult for children to do simple
Damages to different parts of the brains motor control centers determines the different types of Cerebral Palsy. Statistically, about 70 percent of all Cerebral Palsy cases were caused by prenatal injuries and only 10 percent were caused by injuries after birth (Bochek, 2017). There are several incidents that can cause damage to the developing brain, including severe untreated jaundice which can turn into a condition known as Kernicterus. Kernicterus is the buildup of bilirubin, which is toxic to the human brain. Additionally, Asphyxiation can occur when oxygen is unavailable to the brain, cofactors include the earl detachment of the placenta, a ruptured uterus during birth or the umbilical cord getting pinched off causing oxygen deprivation (Kingsley, 2012). Causes are determined by the location of brain damage, the areas of the brain that control motor skills and movement are the motor cortex, pyramidal tract, cerebellum, and the basal ganglia. The first type of Cerebral Palsy is known as Spastic (pyramidal), Spastic Cerebral Palsy is caused by damage to the motor cortex. A person with Spastic Cerebral Palsy will experience tight muscles, due to affected joints becoming stiff and difficult to move. Usually, a person has trouble controlling their movements, balance, talking and eating (Kim,2014). Non Spastic
Because Cerebral Palsy derives from the different areas of the brain, it is possible to use stem therapy. One might ask why stem cells are so important, to answer that question stem cells are simple cells that give rise to differentiated cells in the body. Scientists have basically figured out a way to grow new cells in a controlled lab. Furthermore, the brains motor control center is full of billions of brain cells, if doctors can repair those damaged cells with new stem cells, then those new cells can work to produce more new cells and replace the damaged ones. To contribute to this hypothesis, stem cells have been beneficial in chemotherapy, growing organs, and heart transplants. There is a cure out there for Cerebral Palsy and it starts with listening, learning and