What is cerebral palsy (CP)?
Cerebrum (cerebral) is a medical word for the large part of the brain that controls muscles. Palsy is a problem moving muscles.
CP is a brain condition that affects the muscles. It makes muscles stiff and hard to move.
CP is caused by brain damage that occurs before, during, or shortly after birth
Muscle problems can be mild (stiff or clumsy) or severe (unable to walk or move certain muscles at all)
Most children with CP live to be adults
There is no cure
Treatment can help the symptoms
What causes CP?
CP is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls muscles. Sometimes other parts of the baby's brain are also damaged.
Some babies are born with brain damage. This damage can be caused by:
Infections in the mother during pregnancy
Some babies' brains are damaged during delivery or right after birth. The damage is sometimes caused by:
A lack of oxygen during delivery
Infections in the baby after being born
Severe illness during the baby’s first year of life
Infants who are born early (premature) and who have a low birth weight are more likely to have brain damage that can cause CP.
What are the symptoms of CP?
Children may have:
Stiff and weak arms and legs
Walking problems or be unable to walk at all
Speech problems
Crossed, lazy, or wandering eyes (called strabismus) and other vision problems
Swallowing problems
Uncontrollable, jerking motions
These problems can range from mild to very severe. Children with mild problems may just seem clumsy. Children with severe problems may not be able to walk or even swallow food.
Children who have damage to other parts of their brain may also have problems with hearing, learning, or behavior.
How does the doctor know if my child has CP?
Doctors may think your child has CP if your child is:
Late learning to walk
Late developing other skills
Under 2 years old and has stiff and weak muscles (called spasticity)
The doctor usually does an MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI is a test that uses a machine with a powerful magnet to make pictures of the inside of your body. A computer records changes in the magnetic field around your body. The computer then uses... read more 
of your child’s brain to check for certain brain abnormalities. An MRI is a scan showing detailed pictures. However, there is no test that tells for sure whether your child has CP.
How do doctors treat CP?
There's no cure for CP. However, your doctor and therapist may recommend many things to help your child move around better, including:
Arm or leg braces to help with muscle control and walking
Physical therapy to help strengthen and loosen muscles
Occupational therapy to learn how to do daily activities, such as brushing teeth, using a fork, or combing hair
Speech therapy to help make speech clearer and to learn how to swallow more easily
Medicines to help muscles relax
Your child may take medicines by mouth to help muscles relax. Sometimes, doctors inject Botox® into a child's muscles to make them relax. If a muscle is so stiff that it keeps your child from moving an arm or leg at all, doctors may do surgery. In the surgery, doctors cut or lengthen the tendon that attaches the stiff muscle to the bone.
