Cerebral Palsy Flashcards
What is the definition of cerebral palsy?
- static encephalopathy which is non-progressive(once off insult)
- it is a disorder of motion or posture,secondary to an insult to the developing brain
What are the 5 motor abnormalities that we can expect from cerebral palsy
1, spastic (77-93% most common)
- Dyskinetic (2-15% abnormal movements)
- Ataxic (2-8% unsteadiness)
- Hypotonic (uncommon 0,7-2,6%)
- Mixed (spasticity with movement disorder)
What are the characteristics of dystonia?
- involuntary, sustained and intermittent movement
- abnormal postures at res or with activity
- same postures are repeated
- exacerbated by anxiety
- resolves with sleep
- tone generally increased
What do we use to classify the severity of cerebral palsy?
Gross motor function classification system
What are the causes of cerebral palsy?
- Prenatal
- infection(TORCHES)
- intracranial cerebral malformations
- toxins(tik)
- chromosomal abnormalities
- cerebrovascular incidents
What are the perinatal causes of cerebral palsy?
- Perinatal
- birth asphyxia -usually spastic quadriplegia
- prematurity -usually spastic diplegia
- birth trauma
- metabolic-hypoglycaemia
- kernicteris
- hypoxic/ischaemic encephalopathy
What are the post-natal causes of cerebral palsy?
- infection(meningitis, encephalitis)
- vascular malformations (thrombosis, embolism, strokes)
- toxins/drugs
- trauma (head injury)
- post-cardiac arrest
- metabolic (hypocalcaemia, hypoglycaemia, hyponatraemia, hypernatraemia)
What are the most NB questions to ask on history?
- Developmental hx
- Social and family hx-how this is affecting them
- Birth hx-moms previous birth hx, delivery, neonatal
- Developmental status, milestones, communication, speech, feeding, seizures
What do we focus on on general examination?
- General exam-dysmorphism+anthropometry
- Neuro: posture, movement, asymmetry, behaviour, eye signs(nystagmus,squint)
- Respiratory: recurrent chest infections-unable to cough and because of aspiration pneumonia
- Abdomen: constipation, fecal impaction
- Musculoskeletal: contractures, hip dislocation
What is the management of CP patients?
- Multi-disciplinary team NB NB
- social worker, physio, dietician,orthopedic surgeon, occupational therapy - Manage spasticity
- baclofen, Botox, oral diazepam - Manage constipation and reflux
- Control seizures
- Optimize vision and hearing
-baby usually presents with central hypotonia even if they have peripheral hypertonia
When does CP usually occur?
Between birth and 5 years old
Which parts of the brain are usually involved?
- The motor cortex
- Basal ganglia
- Cerebellar cortex
- Brain stem
What is the incidence of cp?
2-5 per 1000 worldwide
What are the spastic CP’sbroken up into?
- Tonic
2. Phasic
What is tonic CP?
- This is due to prolonged contraction of the muscles that it causes contractures
- type 1 muscle fibers are involved
- tonic and phasic can co-exist but tonic overrides eventually
What is phasic CP?
This is when the type 2 muscle fibers stretch from their usual short and relaxed state
-causes brisk tendon reflexes, clonus, clasp knife response