Education is the only way to eradicate ignorance – that’s what I keep learning.

It’s 1 : 55 PM on day 925 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to stretch my hamstrings, try to clean myself in the bathroom, brush my teeth, feed myself an uzhunnu vada–a savory Indian doughnut – and chutney for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice typing with both hands,   pray, read Leviticus 5,  practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles and work.

As you may or may not know March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and in honour of that I’m going to share with you again some facts about Cerebral Palsy. Take a look:

13 Facts about Cerebral Palsy

1. Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement.

2. Cerebral palsy is classified into four broad categories: Spastic, Athetoid (or dyskinetic), Ataxic, and Mixed.

3. Spastic cerebral palsy affects 70 to 80 percent of patients and is characterized by stiff or permanently contracted muscles.

4. Athetoid cerebral palsy affects 10 to 20 percent of patients and is characterized by uncontrolled, slow, writhing movements.

5. Ataxic cerebral palsy is a rare form that affects 5 to 10 percent of patients. This form of cerebral palsy affects the sense of depth and perception and results in poor coordination and difficulty with quick or precise movements.

6. Mixed cerebral palsy occurs when a patient has symptoms of two or more of these forms. Many combinations are possible, but the most common mixed form is a blend of the spastic and athetoid forms.

7. A number of other medical disorders are associated with cerebral palsy including: mental impairment, seizures or epilepsy, growth problems, impaired vision or hearing, and abnormal sensation or perception.

8. Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the motor control centres of the developing brain and can occur during pregnancy, during childbirth or after birth up to about age three.

9. Brain damage in the first few months or years of life can cause acquired cerebral palsy. Causes of early brain damage can include brain infection (for example, meningitis or viral encephalitis) and head injury (for example, from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse).

10. Congenital cerebral palsy is present at birth. Some of the common causes include infections during pregnancy, jaundice in the infant, Rh incompatibility, and severe oxygen shortage in the brain, trauma to the head during labor and delivery, and stroke. 

11. In many cases, cerebral palsy is preventable and may be due to medical negligence. 

12. Low birth-weight babies are 100 times more likely to develop cerebral palsy than normal birth-weight infants are. 

13.There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy, but treatments for cerebral palsy can be used to manage this condition and help a child reach his or her potential. This treatments and therapies include physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, surgery, braces, and more.

(Note: The facts above were complied from http://www.cerebralpalsysource.com/cp_quickfacts/index.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy)

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