Cerebral Palsey Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cerebral Palsey - Term Paper Example In addition to motor dysfunction, cerebral palsy may include learning difficulties, psychological problems, sensory defects, convulsive and behavioral disorders of organic origin’ (cited in Chauhan,1989; p.249). In short, cerebral palsy is a congenital defect and is of non progressive type caused due to developmental defects in the brain that occur immediately after birth, during birth, or before the birth. Usually, children presenting with cerebral palsy are normal but have special needs related to motor, cognitive, social, and psychological functions. Children with the cerebral palsy present with a variety of symptoms or manifestations. However, few symptoms are most common. Like, abnormal muscle tone makes the movement of muscles either extreme or nil. Reflex and postural abnormalities cause the child to have abnormal positions at rest. Delayed motor development causes a delay in the child’s ability to sit or stand on its own. Atypical motor performance such as abnormal gait, asymmetrical hand use, uncoordinated actions, difficulty in chewing, swallowing etc may also be experienced (Yamamoto, 2007). Based on these symptoms, cerebral palsy is classified into three types: spastic type which includes symptoms related to muscle tone; athetoid or dyskinetic that includes symptoms presenting involuntary or uncontrolled movements; and ataxia which includes symptoms related to balancing activities. Immense research and study have been carried out to identify possible risk factors and causes of cerebral palsy. These risk factors and causes have been identified at various stages before, after and during pregnancy. Some risk factors include delayed pregnancy, serial abortions, thyroid problems, seizures, difficult and/or troubled labor etc; infections and injuries during and after pregnancy period; and postnatal issues such as hypotension, sepsis, hyponatremia, nutrition, seizures, etc (Styer-Acevedo, 2008).