About 70 to 80 percent of affected individuals have spastic cerebral palsy, in which muscles are stiff, making movement difficult. Most severe is spastic quadriplegia, in which all four limbs and the trunk are affected, often along with the muscles controlling the mouth and tongue. Children with spastic quadriplegia have mental retardation and other problems. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy. About 10 to 20 percent have the dyskinetic form, which affects the entire body.
Children often have trouble learning to control their bodies well enough to sit and walk.
Because muscles of the face and tongue can be affected, there also can be difficulties with sucking, swallowing and speech. Ataxic cerebral palsy. About 5 to 10 percent have the ataxic form, which affects balance and coordination. They may walk with an unsteady gait and have difficulty with motions that require precise coordination, such as writing. There are many things that occur during pregnancy and around the time of birth that can disrupt the normal development of the brain and result in cerebral palsy.