Types of Cerebral Palsy

The three kinds of Cerebral Palsy are as follows:

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

This is the most common type of Cerebral Palsy. Children who have Spastic Cerebral Palsy have one or more tight muscle groups which limit movement. People with Spastic Cerebral palsy have stiff and jerky movements and have a hard time moving from one position to another. They have a hard time holding and letting go of objects.

They also experience spasms through out their body, depending on where the Cerebral Palsy affects them most. Most will feel pain in their legs and back muscles as they hardly ever relax completely.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy       

Less common than Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Athetoid Cerebral Palsy is caused by damage to the cerebellum or basal ganglia. These areas of the brain are the ones that process the signals that enable co-ordinated movements and body posture.  

A child born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy usually develops involuntary movements, especially in the face, arms and parts of their body. It interfere’s with speaking, feeding, reaching, grasping, etc. It can also lead to trouble speaking and swallowing, drooling and slowed speech.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy      

Even less common than Spastic or Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, Ataxic Cerebral Palsy causes low muscle tone and poor co-ordination of movements. It is a rare form of Cerebral Palsy that affects ones sense of balance and depth perception.    

Those born with Ataxic Cerebral Palsy have very poor co-ordination and walk unsteadily, placing their feet far apart so that they do not lose their balance. They experience a lot of shakiness, like you might see in an older person, when they handle small objects such as a pen or pencil. It also takes them longer to complete simpler tasks like writing.

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I have Spastic Cerebral Palsy         

This means that my bodies muscles are almost constantly spasming, causing me great pain through out the day. It’s also difficult for me to walk, to take simple steps, as walking also causes me pain.