Cerebral Palsy, meaning, definition, and characteristics

Do you know the term Cerebral Palsy? Know the meaning, definition, characteristics, educational provision for Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral Palsy

Meaning of Cerebral Palsy

The word cerebral palsy is composed of two separate words cerebral and palsy. The term 'cerebral' here means a part of the brain. Thus appropriately emphasizing the importance of the brain is causing the condition. The term 'palsy' means problem or weakness in the way an individual moves his or her body. Thusly, the term cerebral paralysis overall represents the misfortune or powerlessness in practicing command over the developments of the body or engine conduct because of something incorrectly in the cerebrum.

Definition of Cerebral Palsy

National Institute of Neurological Disorders, USA, 2004

"Cerebral Palsy is an umbrella term used to depict a gathering of ongoing problems disabling development control that show up in the initial not many long periods of life and by and large don't deteriorate over the long haul. The term cerebral alludes to the mind's two parts or halves of the globe, and paralysis portrays any problem that disables control of body development. Hence these issues are not brought about by issues in the muscles or nerves. All things considered, broken turn of events or harm to engine regions in the mind disturbs the cerebrum's capacity to control development and stance enough."

Dr. Walter Zalcman, 2004

"Cerebral Palsy is a term used to portray a gathering of constant conditions influencing body developments and muscle coordination. It is brought about by harm to at least one explicit space of the mind, typically happening during fetal advancement on during early stages. It can likewise happen previously, during On instantly the following birth. Realize that cerebral paralysis isn't an infection or ailment. It isn't infectious and it doesn't deteriorate kids who have cerebral paralysis will have it for their entire lives."

Nature and characteristics of Cerebral Palsy

The term cerebral palsy as an umbrella term does not refer to a particular type of disorder but a variety of disorders or chronic conditions that result in the impairment of one's motor functioning i.e. ability to control body movements and postures.

This impairment in one's motor functioning is caused by abnormalities and anomalies of the brain, i.e. something going wrong with the functioning of one's brain.

The anomalies or dysfunction of the brain occur during the period of its early development (starting from the prenatal stage in the womb of the mother, then covering the time of delivery of the child and extending to every childhood stage up to 2 years of age).

Individuals with cerebral palsy are not affected by Some diseases of the muscles or nerves that cause difficulty in their movement and coordination but it happens so on account of their inability to exercise control over their motor functioning resulting through the faulty development or damage to the motor areas of the brain.

The anomalies or dysfunction of the brain can cause many types of disorders other than cerebral palsy like mental retardation, autism, seizures, hearing and visual impairments, etc. However, cerebral palsy stands quite segregated from them on account of its motor impairment syndrome, i.e. loss of ability to exercise control over motor functioning.

Cerebral palsy represents a condition that is stable and non-progressive in the sense that the underlying brain anomaly or abnormality that initially caused the motor impairment does not change. As a result, if cared for and trained well, children with cerebral palsy may learn to live well with their problems without letting their motor impairments and their functional consequences worsen with time.

Educational Provisions for the children with Cerebral Palsy

Youngsters with cerebral paralysis experience the ill effects of numerous restrictions. In this way, it becomes fundamental for making natural variations and masterminding essential help administrations for their satisfactory change and learning. Such extra arrangements can be momentarily laid out as follows

As human beings, they have all rights and opportunities for doing so but unfortunately, they suffer from some limitations and disabilities on account of their developmental neurological deficiencies.

Their educational needs are therefore two folds on one side, they need education for overcoming their deficits resulting from cerebral palsy and other usually accompanying disorders. On the other side, they need education in terms of three R's (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) and various subjects and activities of the school curriculum.

Holding their classes and other activities on the ground floor.
Making provisions for the movement of their wheelchairs.
Providing desired space and facilities for sitting and standing in the classrooms or other work situations in the school.
Making provision for the transport facilities for these children.
Making suitable adaptations regarding toilet, drinking water, and mid-meal facilities, etc. to these children.
Making necessary adaptations and accommodations in the instructional activities in view of the language and communication, attention deficit, and cognitive deficits of these children.
Making provision for the services of a professional and a specialist for meeting the emergency needs of these children.
Making provisions for the training and in-service education of the teachers who are asked to handle the students with cerebral palsy in a normal school setting.
Making provisions for the necessary audio-visual aids and equipment for helping the teachers and students in the teaching-learning process.
Making provisions for assistive devices like communication boards, computers, etc. for the education, adjustment, and communication of these children.
Creating a healthy environment and attitude towards them in the school for their adjustment and education without causing damage to their self-esteem.
In this way, useful attempts can be made in the prevailing circumstances for the adjustment, education, and progress of the children with cerebral palsy with the active involvement of their parents and well-wishers.

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