{"id":341554,"date":"2025-10-10T16:00:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T15:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk\/?page_id=341554"},"modified":"2025-12-09T03:52:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T03:52:14","slug":"what-is-cerebral-palsy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk\/home-care-services\/condition-led-care\/cerebral-palsy-care\/what-is-cerebral-palsy\/","title":{"rendered":"What is cerebral palsy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat is cerebral palsy?\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\"What\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n
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Exploring the types and causes<\/h2>\n \n

Cerebral palsy does not refer to a particular illness or disease. It is actually a term used to describe a physical condition or motor disorder that results in muscle loss, restricted movement and loss of coordination and control. <\/p>\n \n \n

The condition of cerebral palsy is caused by damage or injury to the brain, which is quite commonly accepted to happen during pregnancy when the brain is delicate and still developing. It can be quite severe or only a minor disruption, and depends on the level of the injury sustained to the developing brain.<\/p>\n

There are several types cerebral palsy which are determined according to the part of the brain that has been damaged. The four types are grouped as athetoid cerebral palsy, ataxic cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsy and mixed cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that not one person with cerebral palsy will exhibit the same symptoms as another.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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What causes cerebral palsy?<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

Cerebral palsy is caused when the brain has not developed properly during the crucial stages of a baby’s growth, either within the womb, during labour or after being born.<\/p>\n

However, the causes of cerebral palsy do vary and are not limited to one specific reason. It is very difficult to say in each person’s case what the exact cause has been.<\/p>\n

Damage sustained in the womb<\/span><\/h6>\n

Around 80% of babies born with cerebral palsy are expected to have sustained this damage to the brain because of complications during foetal life within the womb.<\/p>\n

During this stage, the baby – and more importantly their fragile brain – is still developing and growing.<\/p>\n

The factors that may have caused the damage during pregnancy include:<\/p>\n