Cerebral Palsy

History

Cerebral palsy, then known as "Cerebral Paralysis", was first identified by British surgeon William Little in 1860. Little raised the possibility of asphyxia during birth as a chief cause of the disorder. It was not until 1897 that Sigmund Freud, then a neurologist, suggested that a difficult birth was not the cause but rather only a symptom of other effects on fetal development. Research conducted during the 1980's by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) suggested that only a small number of cases of CP are caused by lack of oxygen during birth.

Thomas Galton believed that there was consistency between physical disability and aptitude. This attitude remained prevalent until the 1970's when cerebral palsy was itself, an overdiagnosed disorder. Various subtypes, such as hypotonic CP were utilized and when these individuals are taken out of the CP pool, the number drops to 1 in 2,000 individuals. So the number of people with CP depends on its definition. Most scholars acknowledge that ataxic, atheoid, spastic, and mixed are the relevant forms of CP; however, various conditions and subtypes may exist. A common misnomer is that CP causes mental retardation. In fact, only CP individuals with brain damage in the hippocampus or the frontal cerebral cortex suffer from mental retardation. While learning difficulties and CP may co-occur, it is common for individuals with CP to lead normal lives if their lives are managed coherently and effectively. Individuals with CP fare better when they can focus on scholastic achievement or on improving social skills, rather than on when they will get their next treatment. Assistive technology helps give them such focus.

Motor difficulties are common in individuals with CP. This can vary from paralysis of movement to minor levels of clumsiness. The brain's plasticity at a young age is probably one of the main reasons for the differences between individuals with CP.