Cerebral palsy refers to a group of conditions that affect control of movement and posture. It is a combination of chronic conditions affecting muscle coordination and body movement and is caused by damage to certain areas of the brain usually occurring in the early stages of life or during development of the fetus. Cerebral palsy is not a disease and cannot be communicated from one person to another. It is a non-progressive condition; however, certain other side effects such as muscle spasticity can develop at later stages.

About two to three children in 1,000 over the age of three have cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is usually not diagnosed until the child is about two to three years of age. In about seventy percent of cases, cerebral palsy results from events occurring before birth that can disrupt normal development of the brain. Cerebral palsy is not caused by any single circumstance and is usually a result of multiple factors with similar roots involving problems with coordination and control of movement. In most cases, this condition is not detected for several months after birth and the specific cause of it is extremely hard to pinpoint. Cerebral palsy can also be acquired. This can happen as a result of meningitis or brain injuries.

Cerebral palsy can result before birth because of long difficult labor, bacterial infection, low birth weight, lack of oxygen to the child, viral diseases in early pregnancy, inability of placenta to provide the fetus with oxygen and necessary nutrients and incompatible blood types between the mother and the child. In addition, cerebral palsy can happen after birth as a result of Meningitis, head injuries, viral encephalitis and brain tumors.

There are three major types of cerebral palsy and some individuals may have symptoms of more than one type. Spastic cerebral palsy occurs when there is damage to the cortex. It is characterized by tight muscles and is present in about fifty percent of people with CP. It is common, although not the rule for persons with spastic CP to have a learning disability or mental retardation.

Athetiod CP is characterized by fluctuations in muscle tone as a result of damage to the basal ganglion and is sometimes associated with uncontrolled movements. Children often have trouble learning to control their bodies well enough to sit and walk. There can also be difficulties with sucking, swallowing and speech because muscles of the face and tongue can be affected.

Ataxic CP is characterized by lack of coordination and balance due to damage to the cerebellum. This type of cerebral palsy accounts for ten percent of all cases of CP. Affected individuals may walk with an unsteady gait with feet far apart and they have difficulty with motions that require precise coordination such writing.