Spastic cerebral palsy is one of the most common forms of cerebral palsy, and accounts for nearly 80 percent of all cerebral palsy cases. Those that suffer from this specific classification generally have stiff muscles that often stay in an extended contracted state, and as a result, normal movement is difficult and can result in permanent joint damage.
The muscles of the legs and arms are often the most affected areas of the body when it comes to spastic cerebral palsy. There are, however, a few variations of spastic Cerebral Palsy.
Spastic diplegia is a type of spastic cerebral palsy where the legs’ muscles are most-affected. The muscles are often tightened, which may cause the legs to cross at the knee.
Spastic hemiplegia is a term that refers to when the limbs of one half of the body are most-affected. The way that doctors identify spastic hemiplegia is by examining an infants hand preference. A normal baby will not show a hand preference when they are less than 1 year old, while an infant affected with spastic hemiplegia will prefer the side of the body over the other.
There are a few different treatments for individuals with spastic cerebral palsy and they typically involve either surgery, physical therapy, or both. In physical therapy, the joints are exercised so that they do not become immobile. It is crucial for muscles and joints to receive exercise so that they do not become stiff and cause range of motion to be reduced.
Did you know that these types of cerebral palsy may be the result of medical malpractice? If you believe that your child’s cerebral palsy may be the result of someone’s negligence, contact a cerebral palsy attorney right away by calling 1-855-833-3707.