Cerebral Palsy Flashcards
What is cerebral palsy?
A group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture
What are antenatal causes of cerebral palsy?
Nervous system structural malformations
Congenital and intrauterine infections
Maternal and obstetric complications e.g.g HTN/DM
Multiparity
What are perinatal causes of cerebral palsy?
Complicated labour and delivery
Birth asphyxia
Birth trauma
Prematurity
Low birth weight
What are postnatal causes of cerebral palsy?
Meningitis/encephalitis
Hypoxia (stroke etc)
Traumatic brain injury
Toxins
What are the types of cerebral palsy?
Spastic
Athetoid
Ataxic
Hypotonic
Mixed
What is the most common type of cerebral palsy?
Spastic - patients will be hypertonic and have jerky movements
What is monoplegia cerebral palsy?
Only one limb affected
What is diplegia cerebral palsy?
Two limbs affected - commonly the legs
What is hemiplegia cerebral palsy?
One side of the body affected
Upper limbs often affected to a greater degree - rigidly flexed elbow or wrist
What is triplegia cerebral palsy?
Three limbs affected
What is quadriplegia cerebral palsy?
All four limbs affected, legs often being worse than arms
What is the classification tool for cerebral palsy?
GMFCS
What are clinical presentations for infants with cerebral palsy?
Inability to lift head
Overextending back and neck when being picked up
Stiffness in joints and muscles
Excessive drooling
What are clinical presentations for toddlers with cerebral palsy?
Abnormal posture
Delays in gross and fine motor skills
Uncontrolled muscle movement
Delays in speech
Hearing problems
What are clinical presentations for school age children with cerebral palsy?
Incontinence
Speech disorders
Contractures
Vision problems e.g. strabismus (cross eye)
Ataxia
Spasticity
