Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Cerebral Palsy

Definition

Cerebral palsy (CP), or static encephalopathy, is the name for a collection of movement disorders caused by brain damage that occurs before, during, or shortly after birth. A person with CP is often also affected by other conditions caused by brain damage.

Description

The affected muscles of a person with CP may become rigid or excessively loose. The person may lose control of muscles, or have problems with balance and coordination. A combination of these is also possible. Those with CP may be primarily affected in the legs (paraplegia or diplegia), or in the arm and leg of one side of the body (hemiplegia), or all four limbs may be involved (quadriplegia).

A person with CP may also be affected by a number of other problems, including a seizure disorder, visual deficits, hearing problems, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and