What are the effects of cerebral palsy?
The effects of cerebral palsy vary, depending on which part of the brain is damaged and how serious the injury is. Some people have normal intelligence; others have learning disabilities. Some have mild difficulties with movement; others have significant motor-control issues.
The effects associated with cerebral palsy occur in combination, not alone. That interrelation results in:
- Primary effects (stemming from damage to the central nervous system)
- Secondary effects (resulting from abnormal bone and muscle growth)
- Tertiary effects (ways of compensating for primary and secondary effects)
In addition, an injury that cases cerebral palsy can affect other parts of the brain. Thus, people with cerebral palsy may experience:
- Associated effects (health and cognitive issues associated with cerebral palsy)
- Effects of aging (people who have cerebral palsy and other disabilities might experience symptoms of aging earlier than non-disabled people do)
Primary effects
Many people with cerebral palsy have trouble making smooth, deliberate movements. That's because the part of their brain that controls movement is damaged. The brain damage causes abnormalities that may include:
- Abnormal muscle tone (muscles with too much or too little tone)
- Muscles that pull unevenly on the joints
- Abnormal reflexes (the persistence of primitive reflexes)
- Balance and movement problems
As a result of such issues, people with cerebral palsy use more energy and tire more easily than able-bodied people. Walking along a sidewalk, for example, may be as tiring for someone with cerebral palsy as rock-climbing is for a person without disabilities.
Secondary effects
Damage to the central nervous system causes cerebral palsy's primary effects — abnormal reflexes, abnormal muscle tone, and balance and movement problems. Those abnormalities, in turn, lead to secondary effects, such as:
Secondary effects develop as children grow. The good news is that medical treatment often can reduce these symptoms.
Tertiary effects
Tertiary effects are often known as “coping responses.” They are the ways in which people compensate for the primary and secondary effects of cerebral palsy — especially when walking.
For example, spasticity in the legs commonly produces a stiff knee, which makes it difficult to step forward. A typical coping response is circumduction of the limb as it swings forward. That means the foot swings in a circle rather than a straight line.
Sometimes it's difficult to separate primary and secondary effects from coping responses. It's worth the effort to separate them, however, because making efficient movement possible depends on addressing only primary and secondary effects. Coping responses diminish when they're no longer needed.
Associated effects
Some people who have cerebral palsy experience associated health and cognitive issues. If you have, or your child has, cerebral palsy, your observations — along with the observations of health-care professionals — will help identify troublesome areas. That, in turn, will help determine the best treatments for your situation.
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Associated effects may include difficulties involving:
- Attention span
- Breathing
- Depression
- Hearing
- Learning disabilities and mental retardation
- Nutrition
- Sensory issues
- Seizures
- Speech and language
- Vision
Effects on aging
Left untreated, the symptoms of cerebral palsy tend to worsen. Although the brain damage itself doesn't change, the effects of that damage often do. For example, muscles that can support a 40-pound child may be too weak to support a 130-pound adult. In addition, the stress of spastic muscles causes abnormal wear and tear on the joints, which wear out or become painful. And spasticity often becomes more severe following growth spurts.
For those reasons, people who have cerebral palsy sometimes lose abilities — such as walking — when they grow older. They might feel increased pain and fatigue. In addition, people who have cerebral palsy might notice the effects of aging beginning in early adulthood. For example, they might find it more difficult to maintain their balance.
Because moving is difficult, they might not exercise. As a result, they might gain an unhealthy amount of weight. Lack of exercise also leads to weak muscles, which can cause numerous complications.
For example, weak trunk muscles enable the spine to curve too much. When that happens, breathing becomes difficult and gastro-esophageal reflux (stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus) can occur. Prolonged periods of reflux can cause ulcers or cancer of the esophagus. Fortunately, proper seating and positioning orthoses can support weak muscles — preventing or lessening such complications.
See: What treatments exist for people with cerebral palsy? | Staying Fit | Gillette Lifetime Specialty Healthcare
