What is Cerebral Palsy?

“Cerebral Palsy is a collection of motor disorders resulting from damage to the brain that occurs 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.”

“Cerebral palsy is a static disorder of the brain, not a progressive disorder. This means that the disorder or disease process will not get worse as time goes on.”

“Congenital cerebral palsy is responsible for the largest proportion of cases of cerebral palsy.”

“Cerebral palsy is one of the more common congenital problems: of every 2,000 infants born, 5 are born with cerebral palsy. This incidence has remained constant over the last 30 years, despite advances in obstetrical and pediatric care. The uniformity is misleading, however, because although improvements in medical care have decreased the incidence of CP among some children who otherwise would have developed the disorder, medical advances have also resulted in the survival of children who previously would have died at a young age, and many of these children have an impairment or a disability such as cerebral palsy.”

Miller, Freeman. Cerebral Palsy: a complete guide for caregiving/ Freeman Miller and Steven J. Bachrach; with Marily L. Boos… [et al]. A Johns-Hopkins health book.