Birth Injuries

The 4 Types Of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy can be separated into four major types, with Spastic being the most common. Regarding cerebral palsy, two terms must be understood on how CP affects muscle tone. They are as follows:

\

Hypotonia: This means low muscle tone, which leads to a loss of firmness and strength.

\

Hypertonia: This means high muscle tone, which leads to rigid and erratic movements.

Below are the four types of cerebral palsy diagnosis that your child can face:

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

This is the most common cerebral palsy diagnosis. Approximately 80% of cerebral palsy cases will be spastic. This includes hypertonia due to the muscle movements being rigid and jerky. Parents must also understand that being that motor functions are injured; voluntary movement is impaired. When this occurs, the brain is unable to send signals regarding the flexibility of the muscles, hence hypertonia.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

Also known as dyskinetic cerebral palsy, this diagnosis that targets the motor functions of the brain. Primarily, the area(s) of the brain that are susceptible to damage will be the basal ganglia and/or cerebellum. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy can also be the root cause of cerebral palsy.

Babies who suffer from this diagnosis will also experience both hypotonia and hypertonia. Due to this lethal combination, low muscle tone and rigid/erratic movements will occur. And due to the injury of the basal ganglia and or cerebellum, this type of cerebral palsy affects certain functions in children such as eye movement, motor functions, and balance and coordination. When present, athetoid cerebral palsy can cause the following to occur:

\

Trouble Feeding/Swallowing

\

Floppiness with Limb

\

Rigid Body/Trunk Area

\

Balance & Posture Issues

Mixed Cerebral Palsy

A child who suffers from mixed cerebral palsy in general does not have a brain injury that targets solely one area. Because of this, a baby suffering from mixed cerebral palsy could display spastic cerebral palsy (rigid legs) and athetoid cerebral palsy (poor facial control). This condition is seen in about 10% of cerebral palsy diagnosis.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

This is one of the rarest forms of cerebral and is usually accompanied by poor muscle tone, or hypotonia, which in turn causes impairment to fine motor skills and other movements for the child. Ataxic cerebral palsy can affect the child’s entire body, which then can result in abnormal body movements. The child’s arms, hand, body/trunk and feet will be affected due to the impairment of the cerebellum. Ataxic cerebral palsy is suspected if the child has the following:

\

Balance Problems

\

Coordination Problems: A child’s inability to keep their feet close together while walking

\

Issues With Movements Which Require Precision: Simple tasks such as grabbing an object may cause difficulty for the child.

\

Hand Movement: Tasks such as buttoning a shirt or using a fork or pencil may be challenging due to the hand trembling/shaking.

CONTACT US

Quick Links

HIE

Cerebral Palsy

Meconium

FAQs

Resources

Glossary

Contact

Latest Articles

Why HIE Brain Injuries Can Sometimes Trigger Seizures In Newborns

When a baby suffers a hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy diagnosis, parents are often overwhelmed with medical information they never expected to face. One of the most frightening developments for families is when their newborn begins experiencing seizures....

Will There Be Enough Money To Care For A Baby With HIE

You found yourself holding your baby, watching therapists walk in and out, stacking up bills that never seem to stop. Somewhere between the appointments and the sleepless nights, a question crept in that you may have been afraid to ask out loud. The question of will...

HIE After Pitocin Use And What The Fetal Monitor May Have Been Showing During Labor

Pitocin is one of the most used medications in labor and delivery. It can move a stalled labor forward, but the way it is managed matters enormously. Every contraction places stress on a baby, and in between contractions, the baby is supposed to recover as...

Everything Appeared Normal At First Until An HIE Diagnosis Was Made After Birth

For many families, the labor and delivery process begins without any obvious warning signs. The pregnancy was uneventful. The early stages of labor felt routine. And then, without any clear explanation, everything changed. Everything appeared normal at...

Follow Us

Join Our Newsletter

ADVERTISEMENT. The information presented on this website should not be construed to be formal legal advice. The use of this website does not establish an attorney-client relationship; however, your responses here will be kept strictly confidential. Any results set forth herein are based upon the facts of that particular case and do not represent a promise or guarantee of future outcomes. Services not available in all states based on this communication. The attorneys of Boston Law Group, LLC have represented clients throughout the United States. They practice subject to court approval in states where they are not members of the bar. An attorney client relationship can only be created through a signed, executed engagement letter. Lawyers who will provide services advertised on this website and who are responsible for this website’s content are principally located at Boston Law Group, LLC, 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 100, Largo, MD 20774.