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October 6 is World Cerebral Palsy Day, a time when a global community of patients, families, medical professionals and advocates comes together to raise awareness for this group of movement disorders. As the most common childhood motor disability, cerebral palsy affects communication between the brain and muscles. That, in turn, can affect movement, balance and posture. People with cerebral palsy may have problems with walking, eating, talking, writing and other functions.��

Cerebral palsy doesn’t have a cure, but with early diagnosis and the help of a team of medical professionals, children and adults with this condition can thrive. If your child has cerebral palsy, your support and commitment to treatment are crucial to reach their potential. Start by learning more about cerebral palsy.��

Defining Cerebral Palsy��

“‘Cerebral’ means ‘of the brain’ and ‘palsy’ means ‘a lack of muscle control,’” says Dara Jones, M.D., FAAPMR, assistant professor of clinical rehabilitation medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and assistant attending physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. “Cerebral palsy is just that. It is a condition caused by a brain injury that occurs at or around the time of birth for a variety of reasons. Although the brain injury itself is a one-time occurrence and it’s static, meaning it does not worsen or progress over time, it does have lifelong implications on the way an individual moves, how much strength they have and their muscle tone.”��

Most children with cerebral palsy are born with it, a condition known as congenital cerebral palsy. Abnormal brain development or injury prior to birth causes congenital cerebral palsy. Rarely, cerebral palsy is acquired, meaning it develops after birth. The development can occur due to infection or injury. Although we understand why cerebral palsy occurs, the cause of the abnormal brain development or injury that leads to it is, in many cases, unknown.��

Your health during pregnancy can also affect your child’s risk of cerebral palsy. Certain infections, such as rubella or herpes, during pregnancy can increase the risk of your child having cerebral palsy, as can exposure to toxic substances. You’re more likely to give birth to a child with cerebral palsy if you have a thyroid problem, seizures, a cognitive disability or too much protein in your urine.��

Wide-Ranging Symptoms����

Cerebral palsy can cause various symptoms, depending on your child’s age. Cerebral palsy itself doesn’t worsen with age, but some symptoms may become more prominent.��

“Some of the earliest signs of cerebral palsy that can generally be detected within the first year of life, can include abnormal muscle tone,” Dr. Jones says. “This can be either high muscle tone, meaning a child is very tight or stiff, or low muscle tone, where a child is relatively looser or floppy. There may be a different quality of their movements, shakiness or jerkiness. And even though a child may sometimes meet , there’s not quite the same quality of movement that we would like to see.”��

Other symptoms you may see include:��