Cerebral Palsy (1) Flashcards
What is this?
What is a key risk factor for it?
What are the causes of it?
➊ Non-progressive, permanent neurological disorder as a result of brain damage before, during or after birth
➋ Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
➌ • Antenatal – HIE, Maternal infections, Trauma during pregnancy, Placental abruption
• Perinatal – Birth asphyxia, Premature birth
• Postnatal – Meningitis, Kernicterus (severe neonatal jaundice), Trauma, Haemorrhage, Medication toxicity
What is the most common type?
→ How does it present?
What are the other types?
→ How do they present?
➊ Spastic – Damage to Pyramidal pathways
→ • Pyramidal weakness (weak arm extensors and leg flexors)
• UMN signs - Hypertonia, Hyperreflexia
• Scissor gait
• Can be monoplegic, hemiplegic, diplegic, quadriplegic
➋ (1) Dyskinetic – Damage to Basal Ganglia (Extrapyramidal) pathways
→ • Difficulty controlling tone (Hypertonia and Hypotonia), causing athetoid (writhing movements of fingers, hands, toes) and oro-motor problems
• Can show signs of Parkinsonism
(2) Ataxic – Damage to Cerebellar pathways
→ • Uncoordinated movements
• Can show signs of a cerebellar lesion
How does it present?
What are the different types of gait they can present with?
➊ • Usually more evident during development
• Developmental delay
• Signs depend on the type
• Hand preference before 18 months – Usually, children don’t have a preference at this age, but CP children will due to the limb difference in tone
• LD
➋ • Hemiplegic – Indicates spastic type
‣ Leg extension and plantarflexion, so pt has to swing leg around to walk. Arm will also be flexed.
• Broad-based/Ataxic – indicates ataxic type
• High-stepping – indicates foot drop or LMN lesion
• Waddling – weakness of hip abductors (e.g. gluteus medius)
• Antalgic (limp) – indicates localised pain
What are the complications of it?
• LD
• Epilepsy
• Aspiration pneumonia
• Muscle contractures (permanent shortening of a muscle, tendon, or joint)
• Hearing and visual impairment
