Cerebral palsy.

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a set of nonprogressive movement and posture disorders that results from trauma to the brain occurring prenatally, during the birth process, or before the age of 5 (TaR, 1987). In addition to movement problems, trauma to the brain may result in sensory, motor, and psychological deficits (Alexander, 1990). Compared with other developmental delays, motor problems are frequently the most easily diagnosed problems at an early age. Therefore, CP oRen serves as an early warning sign that other developmental problems may exist and become manifested in the future (Eicher & Batshaw, 1993). CP is a complex and heterogeneous disorder, making classification difficult. The most common classification systems rely on the motor pattern or the particular extremities involved to differentiate between types of CP (Alexander, 1990).