Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is of course a neurological impairment that may have a number of causes such as brain damage during the mother pregnancy, or brain damage during delivery, or brain damage after delivery, such as in shaken baby syndrome, or perhaps a near drowning for example. This form of cerebral palsy, Ataxic cerebral palsy, has been found to be the least common form.

Although all cerebral palsy is generally caused by brain damage, ataxic cerebral palsy is thought to have been caused by possible damage to the infant’s cerebellum. Because it is located in the base of the brain, it therefore is the ultimate control center for coordination and balance. This is the portion of the brain that actually coordinates the accomplishments of many different groups of muscles in the body.

Thus most patients who have ataxic cerebral palsy find all four limbs of their bodies affected, as well as their trunk. Depth perception may be severely affected and even hearing. One of the final distinctions of patients with ataxic cerebral palsy will be very decreased muscle tone in their body.

Ordinarily, but not always, those who suffer from ataxic cerebral palsy will have a gait when waking that can be basically described as a much broader based gait than children of their age. This is caused by their tremendously reduced sense of balance, thus the feet are notoriously held wide apart to make up for the unsteadiness of the walk. Usually this is accompanied by the body shaking as it tries to counter-balance itself and not fall. With some patients, there are frequently problems with coordination of chewing and swallowing of food.

A very significant attribute regarding ataxic cerebral palsy is tremor. This tremor is usually worse, and will worsen when the patient attempts a voluntary movement such as writing, perhaps. Both the hand and arm will shake, and the added concentration in trying to perform the action makes it much worse.

The best example may be reaching for a book on a shelf. The closer the patients hand gets to the book, the worse the shaking and general tremor will be.

Modern science is of course always trying to find ways to help such ataxic cerebral palsy patients, and one of the experiments that has been partly successful for some patients are the various drugs that can treat voice, hand and head tremors. These may include benzodiazepine or primidone, and even Botulinum toxin A, normally referred to as botox.

Other techniques have been tried and failed, but one that has given some promise is the cooling of the forearm so that sensitive procedures may be followed with reduced spasms and tremors, such as the application of makeup or perhaps writing. It is highly unfortunate that what may work for one, may not work on the other when the patient has to contend with ataxic cerebral palsy.

One thing is certain, and that is that all patients who have ataxic cerebral palsy benefit greatly from physical therapy in order to develop better reflexes as well as balance. Physical therapy also prevents the idle muscles of the patient from suffering muscle atrophy, which is the medical term for muscles shrinking and thus growing weak.

I thought you may be interested in reading some of the bullet points contained in this post about mesothelioma settlements and social security disability attorney

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

ataxic cerbral palsy

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Related Articles: