What is Cerebral Palsy?

What is CP • Characteristics • Causes & Prevention • Treatment

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a non-progressive, but changing condition that affects about 1 out of every 500 individuals living in British Columbia.

Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe a group of disorders affecting body movement and muscle coordination.

Cerebral = "of the brain"
Palsy = "lack of muscle control"

Development of the brain starts in early pregnancy and continues until about the age of three. Damage to the brain during this time may result in CP. This damage interferes with messages from the brain to the body, and from the body to the brain.

Characteristics of CP >>

Adapted from "A Guide to Cerebral Palsy" by Nan Colledge. (PDF 229KB)
Published 1999 by:

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Cerebral Palsy is:

a condition, NOT a disease
not hereditary
not contagious
non-progressive
a life long condition
not life threatening

People with CP have a normal life expectancy
CP affects 2 to 3 out of every 1000 people