Cerebral Palsy is a medical condition involving permanent brain injury. Injury can occur before, during or shortly after birth. There are several things that can cause Cerebral Palsy and it can vary in severity and type. Symptoms also vary but cerebral palsy's main characteristics are lack of muscle control and movement. At whatever level of severity Cerebral Palsy poses ongoing medical, social and educational life challenges.
Brain injury that results in Cerebral Palsy can be caused by any of the following:
• An infection during pregnancy
• Toxicity during pregnancy (drugs or alcohol)
• Stroke
• Jaundice
• Rh incompatibility (this is where the fetus is essentially attacked by the mother's own immune system)
• A brain bleed during or following birth
• Oxygen deprivation during or shortly after birth
The three types of Cerebral Palsy are Spastic (which affects around 70%), Ataxic (5-10%) and Athetoid (10-20%) Each presents symptoms in a slightly different way. On the whole though, general symptoms from Cerebral Palsy can include: seizures, spasms, hyperactivity, visual and hearing difficulties, difficulty with balance and movement and a variety of learning disorders.
Cerebral Palsy is not a progressive condition, but any individuals symptoms may change over time. There is no cure for Cerebral Palsy although there have been some recent success stories from stem cell treatment and continued research in this area is looking promising. For most Cerebral Palsy sufferers though treatments can involve a variety of medications to control particular symptoms, physiotherapy and other specially designed exercises and on-going educational support.
Related Legal Site: For additional information on
Article Source: http://www.goinglegal.com/personal-injury-and-cerebral-palsy-1303733.html