Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-contagious, non-genetic, chronic condition affecting movement and muscle coordination. It results from brain damage, usually during the later months of pregnancy, during or shortly after birth, or during infancy or early childhood. There are four main categories of CP.
Spastic CP, affecting 70 to 80 percent of CP patients, causes muscle stiffness and contraction. Sub-types are defined by the limbs affected. In diplegia, symetrical limbs are affected, the legs more severely. In hemiplegia, the limbs are affected on only one side, the arm is usually worse than the leg. In quadriplegia, all four limbs are affected, not necessarily symmetrically.
Athetoid, or dyskinetic CP affects about 10 to 20 percent, and causes slow, writhing movements of the limbs and sometimes the face and tongue, with grimacing, drooling and/or speech problems.
Ataxic CP affects 5 to 10 percent, disturbing balance, depth perception and coordination. Ataxics have difficulty walking and making precise, rapid movements.
Mixed CP, has more than one type of symptoms, the most common where some limbs are affected by spasticity and others by athetosis.
The amount of disability in CP is highly variable, from slight clumsiness to complete inability to move. Other neurological issues, such as seizures, hearing, vision and learning problems, may also occur. About 75 percent of children with CP suffer varying degrees of mental retardation, however many have normal or high intelligence. About 500,000 people in the United States have symptoms of CP. While not itself progressive, symptoms may evolve over time, getting better or worse, and training or therapy can help improve function.
LABELS:
Diplegic spastic cerebral palsy
Quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy
Hemiplegic spastic cerebral palsy
Text and illustrations by Kevin T. Boyd
Acupressure for Cerebral palsy sufferers and their care givers
Here are lists of acupressure points for Cramps, muscular spasms, Fatigue, Fingers, Foot, Forearm, Hand, Neuralgia, Paralysis, Restlessness, Seizure, Spasm, Temper, Tension on PointFinder.org.
If this is your first time, please read the instructions. Don’t use acupressure to replace standard emergency procedures or licensed medical treatment. If you are seriously injured or have acute symptoms seek urgent medical treatment.