Cerebral palsy (CP) is a broad term which describes disorders which affect an individual’s posture, balance

and body movement.

Cerebral palsy often occurs while the embryo is developing during pregnancy where some form of abnormal
development or damage is caused to the brain. It can also result from a trauma that was caused during the birth
process itself where for one of many reasons the infant was deprived of either blood or oxygen.

In either event, if the area of the brain affected controls muscle tone or motor activity, the baby will have a
form of cerebral palsy. Parents who notice an apparent deviation from the developmental norm of their child
should seek professional medical advice from an experienced clinic or medical practitioner.

To describe the particular area of the brain which was damaged and the types of movement which are
challenged, medical specialists classify cerebral palsy into five broad categories.

 Spastic

 Athetoid

 Hypotonic

 Ataxic

 Mixed

 Spastic Quadriplegia

 Spastic Diplegia