The cerebral palsies are a heterogenous collection of motor disorders, best defined as a group of non-progressive, but often changing, motor impairment syndromes secondary to lesions or abnormalities of the brain arising in the early stages of its development. What is ‘non-progressive’ (i.e., permanent) is the cerebral lesion, while its functional manifestations change with age as the central nervous system and the musculoskeletal system develop. Most classifications of cerebral palsy distinguish between spasticity and two other prominent forms of the disorder (viz., ataxia, dyskinesia). There are various forms of treatment for cerebral palsy ranging, for example, from surgery to altering tendon lengths (tenotomy) and performing dorsal rhizotomies to the administration of pharmacological agents such as botox to physical therapy.
Protective factorsSee Ataxia, Athetoid (or athetotiform) movements, Botulinus (or botulinum or botox), Cell migration, Cerebellum (disorders), Cerebral (or intracerebral) hemorrhage, Clonus, Developmental disorders, Developmental risks, Disability, Dorsal rhizotomy, Dyskinesia, Grasp response, Handicap, Impairment, Methyl mercury, Muscle tone (or power), Musculoskeletal system, Neurology, Oligodendrocytes, Periventricular hemorrhagic infarction (PHI), Preterm infant, Prospective cohort, Spastic diplegia, Spastic hemiplegia, Spastic quadraplegia, Spasticity