Cerebral Palsy Related Definitions
There are many different terms used to describe different aspects of cerebral palsy. Some of these words can get very confusing if you don't understand what they mean. For the parent just learning about cp, some of these big words can make things sound much worse than they really are. I will attempt to provide you with the most easily understood definitions possible. The ones found on this page, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the book Cerebral palsy, a complete guide for caregiving, by Freeman Miller, M.D. and Steven J. Bachrach, M.D. This site in no way attempts to make diagnosis's only provide information in an easily understood format.
Cerebral palsy : a collection of motor disorders resulting from damage to the brain that occurred before, during, or after birth. The damage to the child's brain affects the motor system, and as a result the child has poor coordination, poor balance, or abnormal movement patterns - or a combination of these characteristics.
Static : not progressive. Cerebral palsy is a static disorder of the brain. This means that the disorder or disease will not get worse as time goes on. Nor are the motor disorders associated with cerebral palsy temporary.
Congenital : existing from birth. Congenital cerebral palsy is responsible for the largest portion of cases of cerebral palsy. For other children, injuries sustained during the birthing process or in early childhood may be considered the cause of cerebral palsy.
Athetoid : a type of cerebral palsy characterized by slow writhing involuntary movements, marked by tremors, unsteadiness, and a lack of coordination or muscle control. This is the least common type of cerebral palsy only seen in about 10% of the children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Spastic : a type of cerebral palsy characterized by rigidity in muscles, which causes stiffness and restricted movement, 80% of the children diagnosed with cerebral palsy have spastic cerebral palsy.
Hypotonic : floppy loose muscle tone.
Ataxic : A lack of balance. A child with cerebral palsy has some limitation in his balance capabilities, which is often expressed as an uncoordinated gait or difficulty standing in one place without moving.
Mixed : a combination of any of the other forms of muscle involvement.
Hemiplegia : usually one arm and one leg (on the same side of the body) are involved.
Diplegia : predominantly involving the legs, but the arms can be involved but to a lesser degree.
Quadriplegia : the involvement of all four limbs to a great extent.
Amblyopia : a subnormal vision in one or both eyes and is sometimes referred to as "lazy eye" primarily because amblyopia can develop as a result of strabismus or crossed eyes.
Ballismus : involves extremely large recurrent, rapid, flopping, involuntary violent movements or the arms, often in a circular pattern, but may occasionally involve the legs as well. These appear to be large flailing movements which may be so eruptive and strong that they throw the person off balance and cause him to fall. This movement disorder is extremely rare and can be very difficult to control when it is present.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia : a chronic lung disease that is seen primarily in premature babies who require ventilator support and oxygen therapy when born. The diagnosis of BPD is made for those infants who require ventilation or oxygen during the first week of life, and who still require supplemental oxygen for more than 28 days.
Bruxism : grinding or clenching the teeth while not eating . This is a common problem for some children with cp but also occurs, usually at night in some children who are otherwise normal.
Clonus : a form of spasticity but it is a special reflex from the spinal cord that is not being controlled by the normal mechanism in the brain. Rapid stretching of a muscle, such as pushing hard against the sole of the foot, causes the foot to make rhythmic movements. As the muscle is held under tension these rhythmic movements may gradually dye down, but in some people they are persistent.
Developmental delay : this term is used to describe a child who has not attained normal development with compared to the standard population. There maybe a delay in physical development, or a delay in cognitive development, or a delay in speech. The term developmental delay is generally applied to children under the age of 5 but may in some instances be used in describing children over that age.
Developmental disability : any disability developed during childhood which impacts on the child's normal development is considered a developmental disability.
Developmental dysphasia : The development of language and speech is delayed in many children with cp. When this delay is due to neurological problems originating in the brain, it is termed developmental dysphasia.
Schizencephaly : characterized by clefts with in the brain, extending from the surface of the cortex to the underlying ventricles. The region of the brain that has a cleft is usually under developed. This can result in mental retardation and/or cerebral palsy, specifically hypotonia, hemiperesis, or spastic quadriplegia, and may be accompanied by seizures and microcephaly.
Lissencephaly : which literally means smooth brain. The surface of the brain ordinarily has indentations called gyri, and their absence results from defects that keep the migrating nerve cells from reaching their proper location. In about half the patience, lissencephaly is characterized by severe mental retardation, marked hypotonia, and microcephaly. Seizures tend to be difficult to control.
Dsysmetria : poor coordination of the hands.
Dysphagia : difficulty feeding oneself.
Dystonia : a movement disorder involving prolonged muscle contractions that cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal posture.
Hydrocephalus : is the enlargement of fluid filled spaces in the brain known as ventricles. This enlargement derives from an imbalance of the production and absorption of the cerebrolspinal fluid, and is usually caused by a blockage in the normal circulation of this fluid.
Microcephaly : is the term used when a child's head circumference is more than two standard deviations below the mean measurement for children of the same age and gender.
There are many more terms than the ones included here on this page. I have tried to take a sampling of the most commonly heard. It is extremely important to remember that each child with cerebral palsy is different from every other child with cerebral palsy. Each individual will develop in a manner that is unique to them and their form of cerebral palsy.
Home Read A Story Background courtesy of
