World Cerebral Palsy Day 2018: How is cerebral palsy different from autism?

The word "cerebral" means that it has to do with the brain. The word "paralysis" means weakness or problems with the movement of the body. Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders that affect muscle movement and coordination in child. In many cases vision, hearing and sensation are also affected by these diseases. It is the most common motor disability in childhood and according to estimates, approximately 1 in 323 children have been identified with CP.

Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy:

Baby 3 to 6 months of age:

• The head falls backwards when it is lifted lying on its back

• Feels rigid

• Feeling floppy

• It seems to extend too far back in the back and neck when cradled in someone's arms

• Legs stiffen and cross or scissors when they get up

• Variations in muscle tone, such as being too loose or too stiff

Baby older than 6 months of age:

• Does not turn in any direction

• You cannot put your hands together

• Has difficulty putting his hands to his mouth

• It extends with one hand while holding the other fist.

Baby older than 10 months of age:

• Creeps in a twisted way, pushing with one hand and leg while dragging opposite hand and leg

• It moves on the buttocks or jumps on the knees, but does not crawl on four legs

Different types of cerebral palsy:

Spastic cerebral palsy: this is the most common type of disorder, affecting about 76.9% of all people with CP. Many people with spastic CP have gait abnormalities.

Cerebral dyskinetic paralysis: also known as dystonic and athetoid, is the second most common form of cerebral palsy, although it only affects about 2.6% of all cases of the disorder. People with this type of PC have problems controlling their body movements.

Hypotonic cerebral palsy: this disorder causes a decrease in muscle tone and excessively relaxed muscles. People with this type of PC also have difficulty speaking, poor reflexes and walking abnormalities.

How is cerebral palsy different from autism?

Cerebral palsy affects mainly the motor functioning of a child, while autism affects the normal development of the brain in areas such as social interaction, problem solving and communication. Autism covers a broad spectrum, from extremely mild symptoms to severe symptoms that can seriously affect daily life.