Cerebral Palsy comes in many different forms. In many cases, a child with cerebral palsy will have several different types to varying degrees. While these variations do have their distinctive features, they share more in common than they differ.
All forms of cerebral palsy:
* Are brain injuries
* Are incurable
* Do not heal
* Involve control of the muscles
Different Types
Where Cerebral Palsy types are different is in the effects that they’re most associated with. For example, ataxic cerebral palsy tends to result in the sufferer having a distinctive shake to their walk. In many cases, this is severe enough that the affected individual cannot walk at all or, at least, cannot walk for a long time.
Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is another manifestation of the disorder with its own effects. In cases where individuals suffer from this particular manifestation of the disorder, they may have a great deal of difficulty performing tasks that require very fine muscle coordination and may start trembling when they make attempts.
Treatments
Because cerebral palsy is the result of brain damage, there is really no way to treat it. What can be treated are the symptoms of the disorder and, most of the time, this means providing the child with assistive devices that enable them to be more mobile and to participate in everyday activities more. There are some muscle treatments, including warming and cooling the muscles, which have shown varying degrees of success for some patients. There are also treatments being developed all the time and, someday, there may be a way to make more substantial improvements for the people who suffer this condition.
Expenses
The severity of a sufferer’s Cerebral Palsy will greatly impact the cost of the treatments they need. For example, someone who has almost no muscle control will likely need an electric wheelchair, which can be very expensive. Individuals who have relatively minor symptoms may only need a good pair of crutches to help with getting around. Some individuals will need hearing aids and others will have perfectly developed hearing and speech abilities.
In some cases, where medical negligence played a hand in the disorder, parents opt to file legal action to get compensated for their expenses and for their child’s pain and suffering. The type of cerebral palsy or the severity is irrelevant in determining whether medical negligence was a factor in the child being injured and coming down with this disorder and only attorneys can make a determination about whether an action is worth pursuing.