What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a developmental disability that affects the ability to control movement.

Children and teenagers with cerebral palsy have difficulties like muscle stiffness, repetitive movements or shakiness. They might also have difficulties with strength and balance.

Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood physical disability in Australia.

Causes of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy happens when there’s damage to the developing brain in the areas that control muscle movements.

Damage to the developing brain can happen when a baby:

• has a condition that interferes with brain development during pregnancy
• is born prematurely and the brain isn’t fully developed
• has a stroke during pregnancy or shortly after birth
• gets a severe brain infection shortly after birth
• doesn’t get enough oxygen during birth.

Damage can also happen when a birthing mother is exposed to viruses like cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy. And sometimes the brain can be damaged if a child experiences head injuries during the early years of life – for example, in a serious motor vehicle crash.

Types of cerebral palsy

There are 3 different types of cerebral palsy, which are based on how movement is affected. Most children and teenagers with cerebral palsy have a combination of 2 or more types – usually spastic and dyskinetic.

Spastic cerebral palsy
Children and teenagers with this type of cerebral palsy have stiff, tight muscles. This happens because messages from their brains to their muscles can’t get through clearly.

This is the most common type of cerebral palsy.

Dyskinetic cerebral palsy
Children and teenagers with this type of cerebral palsy have a lot of involuntary twisting and repetitive movements. These can be anywhere in the body and might make it very difficult for children to sit, stand, walk, reach or grasp. These movements are worse when children do things like reach for a cup or talk, or when they’re tired, anxious or in pain.

This is the second most common type of cerebral palsy.

Ataxic cerebral palsy
Children and teenagers with this type of cerebral palsy have shaky and unsteady movements or tremors. They also have difficulties with balance and might walk with their feet wide apart to help balance.

This is the least common type of cerebral palsy.

Signs of cerebral palsy

Babies with cerebral palsy might have:

• slow or delayed development – for example, they might be slower than other babies to hold up their heads or sit up
• unequal movements across their bodies – for example, they might take no notice of one hand or show a preference for one hand early on
• poor muscle control
• low muscle tone
• muscle spasms or stiffness when you try to move their joints
• difficulties with feeding.

Children and teenagers with cerebral palsy might have difficulties with:

• movement
• communication
• feeding
• pain
• sleep.

Cerebral palsy can affect different parts of the body. For example:

• Some children and teenagers are affected mainly on one side of their bodies.
• Some are affected all over their bodies.
• Some are affected mainly in the legs.
• Many are affected in the muscles of their face, mouth and throat. This can affect communication, eating and drinking.

Cerebral palsy can affect daily life in various ways. For example:

• Children and teenagers who are mildly affected might be able to walk and communicate well.
• Children and teenagers who are more severely affected might need extra help to get around, including wheelchairs. They might have difficulty doing everyday things. They might not be able to talk.
• Children and teenagers might have extra physical challenges as they get older. For example, it might be hard for them to keep walking once they get taller during growth spurts in the teenage years.

Other difficulties associated with cerebral palsy can include:

• intellectual disability or learning difficulties or disorders in about 45% of children
• challenging behaviour
• low vision or blindness
• hearing loss.

Other health issues
Many children and teenagers with cerebral palsy also experience other health issues including gastro-oesophageal reflux, constipation, epilepsy, bone and joint problems, pain and recurrent chest infections.

If you’re worried about your child’s development, talk to your child and family health nurse, GP or paediatrician.

Diagnosis and tests for cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is most often diagnosed before children are 2 years old, but it can sometimes take a while to get a clear diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

If a doctor thinks your child might have cerebral palsy, they’ll take a complete medical history and thoroughly examine your child. The doctor will look at your child’s voluntary movements and muscle tone, checking carefully for floppy muscles or stiff and tight muscles. The doctor will also check whether your child holds themselves in an unusual way or uses one side of their body more than the other.

A physiotherapist or occupational therapist will probably assess your child’s movement too.

Your child might need to see other specialists and have several tests, including brain MRI and genetic tests, to rule out other conditions.

Early intervention for children with cerebral palsy

Getting specialised support as early as possible after diagnosis is the best way to support your child’s development. This is called early intervention. Early intervention includes therapies, education and other supports that will help your child reach their full potential.

Early intervention should also include helping you learn how to spend time with your child in ways that support their development. Children learn the most from the people who care for them and with whom they spend most of their time, so everyday interactions with you, like play and communication, can help your child a lot.

You and your child will probably work with many health and other professionals as part of your child’s early intervention. These professionals might include paediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and special education teachers.

It’s good to see yourself as working in partnership with your child’s professionals. When you combine your deep knowledge of your child with the professionals’ expertise, you’re more likely to get the best outcomes for your child.

Financial support for children and teenagers with cerebral palsy

If your child has a confirmed diagnosis of cerebral palsy, they can get support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS helps you get services and support in your community and gives you funding for things like early intervention or one-off items like wheelchairs.

Looking after yourself and your family

If your child has cerebral palsy, it’s important to look after yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. If you take care of yourself, you’ll be better able to care for your child.

Talking to other parents can be a great way to get support. You can connect with other parents in similar situations by joining a face-to-face or an online support group.

If you have other children, they might have a range of feelings about having a sibling with disability. They need to feel that they’re just as important to you as your child with disability – that you care about them and what they’re going through. It’s important to talk with your other children, spend time with them, and find the right sibling support for them.