Cerebral palsy is not a disorder with a single cause, like chicken pox or measles. It is a group of disorders with similar problems in control of movement, but probably with a variety of causes.

Congenital cerebral palsy, results from brain injury during intra-uterine life. It is present at birth, although it may not be detected for months. It is responsible for about 70% of children who have cerebral palsy. An additional 20 % are diagnosed with congenital cerebral palsy due to a brain injury during the birthing process. In most cases, the cause of congenital cerebral palsy is unknown.

In the United States, about 10 percent of children who have cerebral palsy acquire the disorder after birth. (The figures are higher in underdeveloped countries.) Acquired cerebral palsy results from brain damage in the first few months or years of life and can follow brain infections, such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or the results of head injury -- most often from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse. 2

Adaptive Equipmentince no two children are affected by cerebral palsy in exactly the same way, individual treatment programs vary widely. But because all children with cerebral palsy have movement problems, you can expect that an important component of your child's treatment will be a therapeutic exercise program. Depending on your child's needs, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a speech-language pathologist will work with your child to help him or her improve posture and movement. The different types of treatment are:

1, 2, and 3: United Cerebral Palsy/Facts and Figures, October 2001. http://www.abs.gov.au