Cerebral Palsy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cerebral Palsy - Research Paper Example f disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and keep their balance and posture as a result of an injury to parts of the brain, or as a result of a problem with brain development.† There are several types of cerebral palsy which are usually classified according to how the movement is affected, or which part of the body is affected (Peacock, 2000, p. 13). There are 5 types when classifying according to the effect on movement. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type of the condition, characterized by poor communication between the nerves from the brain to the spinal cord (p. 13). Spinal nerves act independently and thus command muscles to contract, most of the time inappropriately, giving the patient difficulty in moving his or her extremities (p. 13). On the other hand, athetoid cerebral palsy causes the head, extremities, face, and other parts of the body to move uncontrollably (p. 14). Ataxic cerebral palsy disrupts the patient’s balance causing him or her to easily fall when walking. Hypotonic cerebral palsy results to weak and floppy muscles, while the hypertonic type is characterized by rigid muscles (p. 14). The affected parts may be described in the following: 1.) monoplegia, only one arm or leg is affected; 2.) diplegia, either both arms or both legs are affected; 3.) triplegia, three limbs are affected; 4.) quadriplegia, both arms and both legs, including the trunk are affected; and 5.) hemiplegia, one arm and one leg on the same side of the body are affected (p. 15). Over the years, experts have put efforts to determine the causes of cerebral palsy. It has been presented that the condition is caused by insults on the developing brain occurring before, during, or after pregnancy. Specific reasons why cerebral palsy occurs during pregnancy are not yet identified, but possible causes are a defect in the brain structure, infections risking the mother like German measles or herpes, maternal exposure to toxic chemicals, current maternal