Cerebral Palsy Types

Home > Traumatic birth injuries > Cerebral palsy types

Ethan by PaulEisenberg

 

On this page we will discuss the different types of cerebral palsy . Cerebral Palsy is defined via several different subtypes.

How the condition will affect the child depends on the part of the brain that is damaged.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is divided into four major types.

 

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Spastic Cerebral Palsy - this counts for 70 to 80% of all the cerebral palsy types. This type causes increased muscle stiffness(hypertonia) and abnormal movements.

 

• Spastic hemiplegia – Where one side of the child’s body is affected.
  
  
• Spastic diplegia  - tends to affect the legs of the child more than the arms. We see the typical scissoring crossing of the knees.
  
  
• Spastic quadriplegia -The severest form that affects all four limbs and is sometimes combined with mental retardation.

 

 

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Related Pages you may be interested in. Cerebral Palsy Causes Signs of Cerebral Palsy Traumatic Birth Injuries Infant Torticollis. Birth Injury Lawyer

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy-occurs in 5-10% of all cases. Damage to the cerebellum the part of the brain that controls our balance and coordination manifests itself by poor coordination of movement and poor muscle tone.

It mostly affects a child’s balance and depth perception. Voluntary movements like reaching for an object will cause the arm and hand to shake. The poor sense of balance makes them walk with their feet wide apart.

 

 

Athetoid or Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral Palsy- one of the cerebral palsy types that occurs in 10% of all cases. The part of the brain that is damaged is the cerebellum or basal ganglia. Atheoid cerebral palsy is characterized by mixed muscle tone—both tight and weak. It affects the whole body with difficulty to stand upright and involuntary movements.

Children with this type of cerebral palsy may have facial problems like swallowing, drooling and slurred speech. In babies this may cause feeding difficulties and problems sitting unsupported. Untreated high bilirubin levels in the blood (kernicterus) may lead to Athetoid Cerebral Palsy.

 

 

Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy

Hypotonic cerebral Palsy-Affects only 5-10% of all cases. Hypotonia means weak muscle tone. A baby’s body may appear floppy with poor head control; almost like a rag doll. In very severe cases a child may even have breathing problems

 

Mixed Cerebral Palsy

Mixed Cerebral Palsy - There may be a combination of these cerebral palsy types mentioned above. This is caused by injury to different parts of the brain. Most common is a combination of spastic cerebral palsy and Athetoid cerebral palsy.

Next Cerebral palsy causes