Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a heterogeneous, permanent disorder of movement and posture caused by a non-progressive disturbance in the developing fetal or infant brain. Prematurity-related white-matter injury, perinatal stroke, and hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy are common causes. “Non-progressive” describes the original brain disturbance. It does not mean that the child’s abilities, comfort, or care needs remain unchanged. Growth, abnormal muscle tone, contractures, hip displacement, pain, fatigue, seizures, swallowing difficulty, and communication barriers can alter function over time. A child may therefore appear to “lose ground” without the brain lesion itself progressing. The movement pattern varies. Spasticity produces increased resistance and stiff, effortful movement; dyskinetic CP causes involuntary or fluctuating movement; ataxic CP primarily affects coordination and balance; mixed patterns also occur. The clinical question is not simply, “What type of CP is this?” It is, “What can this child do at baseline, what limits participation, and what has changed?”