People with cerebral palsy may have other disabilities such as epilepsy, intellectual disability, sight and hearing problems. Cerebral palsy is different for every person. Depending on the location and severity of the damage to the brain, symptoms can differ widely. Some children may show no obvious signs whereas others may be seriously affected from birth. There are three main types of cerebral palsy.
Some people have more than one.
They can affect one, two or all the limbs. Spasticity Muscles are characteristically tensed and contracted, which affects muscle control. Over time, spasticity can lead to permanent shortening of muscles and deformities as a result of some muscles being permanently tighter than others. Athetosis Movements are uncontrolled and involuntary as the tone in the muscles fluctuates from stiff to floppy. Speech may be hard to understand because of difficulties controlling the tongue, breathing and vocal cords.