Related Terms

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Background

• The term cerebral palsy, or CP, refers to a neurological disorder that appears in infancy or early childhood (most commonly under 37 weeks of age) and permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination but does not worsen over time.
• In CP, faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain impair the body's ability to control movement and posture. This results in a number of chronic neurological disorders. CP is usually associated with events that occur before or during birth, but may be acquired during the first few months or years of life as the result of head trauma or infection.
• According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the early signs of CP usually appear before a child reaches three years of age. The most common are ataxia (a lack of muscle coordination when performing voluntary movements), spasticity (stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes), walking with one foot or leg dragging, walking on the toes, a crouched or scissored gait, and muscle tone that is either too stiff or too floppy. A small number of children have cerebral palsy as the result of brain damage in the first few months or years of life, brain infections such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or head injury from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse.
• Even though CP affects muscle movement, it is not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. It is caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control muscle movements.
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Risk Factors

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Causes

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Signs and Symptoms

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Diagnosis

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Complications

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Treatment

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Integrative Therapies

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Prevention

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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