What is cerebral palsy (CP)?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term referring to a nonprogressive disease of the brain originating during the prenatal, neonatal, or early postnatal period (when brain neuronal connections are still evolving) that results in disorders of movement and posture development.

What are the different types of CP?

The most common type of CP is spastic CP. Spastic CP affects about 80% of people with CP. People with spastic CP have increased muscle tone. This means their muscles are stiff and, as a result, their movements can be awkward. Spastic CP usually is described by what parts of the body are affected:

What is congenital CP?

CP related to abnormal development of the brain or damage that occurred before or during birth is called congenital CP. The majority of CP (85%–90%) is congenital. In many cases, the specific cause is not known. A small percentage of CP is caused by abnormal development of the brain or damage that occurs more than 28 days after birth.

What is spastic CP?

People with spastic CP have increased muscle tone. This means their muscles are stiff and, as a result, their movements can be awkward. Spastic CP usually is described by what parts of the body are affected: Spastic diplegia/diparesis―In this type of CP, muscle stiffness is mainly in the legs, with the arms less affected or not affected at all.