Types of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a group of disorders that affects motor skills, weakens muscle tone and limits muscle movement. It usually manifests itself during the early years of a child’s life. There are four types of Cerebral Palsy:

• Spastic Cerebral Palsy
• Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
• Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
• Mixed Cerebral Palsy

Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common type of Cerebral Palsy. It accounts for over half of all the cases of Cerebral Palsy. It is defined by contracted muscles and in some cases by paralysis. Patients often have stiff movements and most of the time will have difficulty letting go of something in their hand.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy affects approximately ten percent of Cerebral Palsy sufferers. It impairs balance, coordination, and perception of depth. Ataxic Cerebral Palsy is caused by weakness of muscle tone, and patients will typically be shaky and unsteady, have poor coordination, and weak fine motor skills.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy occurs in about twenty percent of all Cerebral Palsy cases. It happens when muscles fluctuate between being too weak and too tight.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy victims will have involuntary movement in the arms and face, and will often have difficulty holding themselves in the upright position. Some patients experience difficulty in controlling facial muscles and have speech problems.

Mixed Cerebral Palsy patients have any combination of the symptoms listed above. About twenty percent of all Cerebral Palsy patients have mixed Cerebral Palsy.

All four types of Cerebral Palsy can result from birthing process accidents, and can be considered medical malpractice. Medical malpractice, New York City physician’s errors and hospital professional’s negligence can be very difficult to prove, especially if the other party has a team of expert lawyers working on their behalf and trying to dispute your claim. But with the assistance of a fully qualified New York City Cerebral Palsy lawyer, you could file a successful lawsuit against the physicians or the hospital responsible for the birth injuries that your child has suffered.

Contact the New York City spastic, ataxic, and athetoid Cerebral Palsy attorneys of the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm today for a free consultation. Call us today at 212-869-3500 for a free consultation, or complete our web form.