Cerebral Palsy

What is Cerebral Palsy (CP)?

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a condition that affects a person’s movement, muscle strength, and body coordination. It happens when there is a problem with the way the brain develops or works, especially the part that controls how our body moves.

Let’s imagine your brain as the Remote of a TV, and your muscles are the different functions like volume, brightness, etc. The brain sends out commands through signals (nerves) to tell your arms, legs, and body what to do. In CP, those signals get scrambled, delayed, or misdirected—so the body doesn’t move smoothly.

It’s called “cerebral” because it starts in the brain, and “palsy” because it affects posture and movement. CP is not a disease, and it doesn’t get worse over time. But the challenges it causes can change as a person grows.

What is Cerebral Palsy

CP usually appears in the first few years of life, and affects each child differently—some may have slight issues with balance or coordination, while others may need support with walking, sitting, or talking.

What are the Types of Cerebral Palsy?

There are four main types of Cerebral Palsy, depending on how the muscles are affected and how the person moves. Each one has its pattern.

  • Spastic CP – Stiff Muscles: This is the most common type. The muscles become tight and stiff, making movement difficult. g.: A child with spastic CP may walk on their toes because their leg muscles are too tight to stretch flat.

 

There are different subtypes:

types of Cerebral Palsy

Apart from this, there is also 

  • Dyskinetic (or Athetoid) CP – Uncontrolled Movements: the child has twisting, jerky, or slow writhing movements that they can’t control.
Dyskinetic
  • Ataxic CP – Balance and Coordination Issues: the child with this type has shaky movements, trouble with balance, and may seem unsteady when walking or picking things up.
Ataxic CP
  • Mixed CP – A Combination: Some children have more than one type of movement issue. For example, stiff muscles (spasticity) with some uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia). That’s called mixed CP.

 

Each type requires a unique therapy approach, which may include pediatric therapy services like sensory, physical, or behavioral support.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

The symptoms of CP vary depending on how severe the brain injury is and what part of the brain is affected. But most of the signs appear in infancy or early childhood.

Here’s what you might notice:

  • Motor Skills & Movement
  • Other Possible Symptoms
  • Delays in reaching milestones, like rolling over, sitting, or walking
  • Stiff or floppy muscles—some parts of the body may feel tight, others too loose
  • Favoring one side, like always using one hand and ignoring the other
  • Trouble walking—tiptoe walking, dragging a leg, or walking with knees bent inward
  • Poor balance or coordination
  • Difficulty with holding objects, using utensils, or writing
  • Involuntary movements—shaking, twisting, or jerky motions
  • Drooling or trouble with swallowing and speech
  • Seizures (in some cases)
  • Vision or hearing problems

Some children with CP may also face learning difficulties, while others have average or above-average intelligence. CP doesn’t affect the mind directly, but challenges in movement and communication can sometimes make learning harder without support. This is why many families opt for special education services that adapt teaching strategies to a child’s motor and speech abilities.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

  • During Pregnancy (Before Birth)
  • During Birth
  • After Birth (First Few Months/Years)
  • Lack of oxygen or nutrients reaching the baby’s brain
  • Infections like rubella, toxoplasmosis, or cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Abnormal brain development
  • Genetic conditions
  • Exposure to harmful substances (alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins)
maternal infections can lead to inflammation and potential brain damage
  • Complications during delivery, causing a lack of oxygen (birth asphyxia)
  • Premature birth (especially before 28 weeks)
  • Low birth weight
  • Bleeding in the baby’s brain
  •  
  • Brain infections like meningitis or encephalitis
  • Head injury (from falls or accidents)
  • Seizures or stroke in early infancy
  • During Pregnancy (Before Birth)
  • During Birth
  • After Birth (First Few Months/Years)
  • Lack of oxygen or nutrients reaching the baby’s brain
  • Infections like rubella, toxoplasmosis, or cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Abnormal brain development
  • Genetic conditions
  • Exposure to harmful substances (alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins)
  • Complications during delivery, causing a lack of oxygen (birth asphyxia)
  • Premature birth (especially before 28 weeks)
  • Low birth weight
  • Bleeding in the baby’s brain
  •  
  • Brain infections like meningitis or encephalitis
  • Head injury (from falls or accidents)
  • Seizures or stroke in early infancy

Important note: In many cases, no exact cause is found, but it’s clear that the injury happened early on and did not come from anything the parents did or didn’t do. If the cause is unclear, doctors may recommend a genetic test for autism or CP-related conditions to rule out hereditary factors.

What Tests Find Cerebral Palsy?

There’s no single test that says, “Yes, this is CP.” Doctors use a combination of observation, physical exams, and brain imaging to diagnose it.

Here’s how it usually works:

A) Developmental Observation: Doctors look for signs like delayed milestones, muscle stiffness, or unusual movement patterns, especially if the baby isn’t sitting or crawling at the expected time. This may be followed by developmental delay treatment if early signs are confirmed.

B) Physical & Neurological Exam: A pediatrician or neurologist checks:

    • Reflexes
    • Muscle tone (tight or floppy)
    • Balance
    • Coordination
    • How the child moves different body parts

C) Brain Scans: These help doctors understand what kind of brain damage may have occurred.

MRI

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) – shows detailed images of the brain

CT Scan

CT Scan – faster, less detailed scan

Ultrasound

Ultrasound (in infants) – used when MRI is not available

D) Hearing and Vision Tests:

    • To check if problems with seeing or hearing might be affecting movement or communication.

E) Other Assessments:

    • Blood tests to rule out genetic or metabolic conditions
    • EEG (if the child has seizures)

 

Diagnosis can take time, especially in babies with mild symptoms. But the earlier CP is identified, the sooner therapy can begin, and that makes a big difference. Most children benefit from starting with early intervention programs.

How Common is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood. Around 2 to 3 children out of every 1,000 births are diagnosed with CP worldwide. That means in a large school, several students may be living with CP, each with very different needs and abilities. CP doesn’t get worse as the child grows, but their challenges can change. Some kids improve their movement with therapy and support. Others may need mobility aids or assistive technology as they grow older.

Children and teens with CP are just like anyone else—they have feelings, dreams, hobbies, and talents. What they need is understanding, encouragement, and the right kind of help to live life to the fullest. Support programs for parents or CP-specific networks can make a meaningful difference in their journey.

Conventional Treatment

A) Neuro-Rehabilitation Therapy: This is the heart of CP management. It includes:

  • Physiotherapy to stretch and strengthen stiff or weak muscles
  • Occupational therapy to learn daily activities like eating or dressing
  • Speech therapy if muscles used for talking or swallowing are affected

Think of it as tuning a musical instrument every day. The brain might send the wrong notes, but with practice, the body learns to play better. These are core parts of occupational therapy and speech therapy for children offered at specialized rehabilitation centres.

B) Medical Management: Doctors may use medicines like muscle relaxants (e.g. baclofen) or even Botox injections to reduce tightness in specific muscles. Anti-seizure drugs may be needed too.

Alternate and Newer Treatments

Ayurveda

Ayurveda uses therapies like Panchakarma detox, herbal oils, and diet modifications to reduce spasticity and improve calmness. Therapies like Shirodhara (pouring oil over the head) are used to relax the nervous system. Some autism treatment centers offer Ayurvedic-based care as part of integrative healing.

Ayurvedic Treatment

Homeopathy

Given for associated issues—drooling, seizures, irritability—but not a replacement for therapies.

Homeopathy Treatment

Stem Cell Therapy

In CP, the idea is that stem cells can regenerate damaged areas in the brain or spinal cord. Early trials are ongoing, but it’s still under research. It overlaps with research in autism spectrum disorders.

Stem Cell Treatment

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

HBOT helps increase oxygen in the brain and body, which may improve mobility, alertness, or mood in some children. This has been explored in autism spectrum disorder treatment.

Oxygen Therapy 

Biofeedback / Neuromodulation

 Advanced tools help children recognize when their muscles are too tight or too relaxed, and gently train them to regain control. It’s like giving the brain a “mirror” to understand how the body is reacting. These tools are part of pediatric therapy services and behavioral therapy for autism.

Neuromodulation

Functional Medicine

CP may not go away, but improving gut health, sleep quality, immunity, and inflammation can make day-to-day life smoother. A child with CP who is well-rested, calm, and digesting food well is more likely to benefit from therapy sessions. This ties in with growing interest in autism and gut health, gut-brain research, and gut dysbiosis.

Functional Medicine

How can Gut Microbiota Transplantation (GMT) treat CP?

At Resplice Research Institute, doctors use a treatment called Gut Microbiota Transplantation (GMT) to help children with CP, especially those who also struggle with stomach problems, sleep issues, irritability, and behavior challenges.

The big idea: Our gut (stomach and intestines) is filled with tiny living germs called bacteria, most of which help us digest food, keep our immune system strong, and even send signals to our brain. This is called the gut-brain connection. In many CP children, these bacteria are not balanced—what we call gut dysbiosis—and that may affect how they feel, behave, or even think.

GMT works by transferring healthy bacteria from the poop of a healthy child (called a donor) into the gut of the CP child. Over time, these new “good” bacteria settle into the child’s gut, help fix imbalances, and support better overall health.

a) Resplice Outcome in CP: 

What Makes GMT at Resplice Special? Here’s what makes the process safe, careful, and unique at Resplice:

  1. Donor Screening with Global Standards:

Not just anyone can be a donor. At Resplice, donor screening is done using a set of international medical guidelines (called the International Stool Banking Consensus) and gut microbiome test. This includes:

    • Testing for harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites
    • Checking for chronic health issues
    • Food intolerance testing, which helps predict how well the child receiving the transplant might respond to the donor’s gut bacteria
    • Only children with clean test results and good gut health are selected.

 

  1. Why Donors Are Kids, Not Adults:

Unlike other places that use adult donors, Resplice uses donors under age 12. Why?

    • Children haven’t lived long enough to be exposed to lots of pollution, processed food, or harmful chemicals that can mess up their gut bacteria.
    • Their microbiome (gut bacteria world) is still close to how nature intended, with essential microbes needed for early development.
    • Adults often have more diverse microbes, but diversity isn’t always better if the mix includes harmful ones.
    • So, using children as donors gives a fresher, cleaner, and safer microbiome for transplant. This gives a purer microbiome.

 

  1. Collection & Transport – Very Hygienic Process:

Every day, fresh stool is collected from the child donor in a germ-free, gamma-sterilized container (which means it’s super clean). Here’s how it’s handled:

    • Kept cool at 4°C during transport to the clinic to preserve the bacteria
    • Microscopy tests are done to check for hidden problems
    • The stool is then homogenized (blended smoothly), and centrifuged in a fridge (a process that spins it fast to separate the good bacteria from waste)
    • Only the clear liquid supernatant, which contains the helpful microbes, is used
    • This liquid is given through a colonic infusion (a gentle way to place it into the child’s large intestine)
    • Everything is done with extreme care and cleanliness.

 

  1. It’s a Process, Not a One-Time Thing:

The treatment isn’t done just once—multiple infusions are given over weeks to slowly reshape the gut-brain axis or the communication between gut and brain. Why? Because it takes time for the new bacteria to settle in, multiply, and take over the unhealthy ones in the child’s gut. Gradually, this reshapes the entire gut microbiome, which can lead to:

    • Better digestion
    • Calmer behavior
    • Improved sleep
    • And a better response to therapies

 

GMT is not about changing who someone is. It’s about helping the body and brain work together more smoothly by fixing what’s going on in the gut. At Resplice, this is done scientifically, safely, and with compassion, always as part of a bigger plan that includes therapy, nutrition, and emotional support.

FAQs on Cerebral Palsy

1. What exactly is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is a condition where the brain has trouble telling the body how to move. Imagine the brain as a remote control and the muscles as a TV—if the signals from the remote get scrambled, the channels (movements) won’t respond properly. That’s what happens in CP.

2. Is CP a disease? Can it get worse over time?

CP isn’t a disease, and it doesn’t "spread" or get worse. But as a child grows, their needs may change. Therapy and support can help them get stronger and more independent over time.

3. What are the early signs of CP in babies or toddlers?

You might notice stiff or floppy muscles, delayed milestones like sitting or crawling, favoring one side of the body, or trouble with balance. Some children may also have difficulty swallowing, speaking, or show jerky movements.

4. What causes CP?

CP happens due to early brain injury—before, during, or after birth. This can be from infections, lack of oxygen, premature birth, or head injury. Sometimes, the exact cause remains unknown, and that’s okay—it’s not your fault.

5. Can CP affect thinking or learning?

CP mostly affects movement, but some children may face learning challenges—especially if their speech or motor skills make communication harder. Many children with CP have average or above-average intelligence.

6. Can children with CP walk or talk?

Some can, and some may need extra help. Children with mild CP may walk independently; others may use walkers or wheelchairs. Speech therapy often supports communication, whether verbal or through alternative tools.

7. How to take care of a child with CP?

Therapy is the heart of CP care:

Physiotherapy strengthens muscles

Occupational therapy teaches daily tasks

Speech therapy helps with talking or swallowing
Think of it a

8. Are there medical treatments besides therapy?

Yes. Doctors might use muscle relaxants, Botox for stiff areas, or anti-seizure medications. These aren’t cures, but tools to ease symptoms and make therapy more effective.

9. What about alternative or newer treatments like Ayurveda or Stem Cells?

Some families explore Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Stem Cell Therapy, or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). While some show promise, always consult your doctor. These should complement, not replace, standard therapy.

10. How does the gut affect children with CP?

Children with CP often struggle with digestion, mood, and sleep—all tied to the gut-brain connection. An unbalanced gut (called gut dysbiosis) can make everything from therapy to mood regulation harder.

11. What is Gut Microbiota Transplantation (GMT), and how can it help CP?

GMT transfers healthy gut bacteria from a screened child donor to the child with CP. This can reset the gut environment, supporting better digestion, calmer behavior, improved sleep, and more responsive therapy sessions.

12. Is GMT for CP safe? How is it done at Resplice?

At Resplice, GMT is done with extreme care:

Donors are healthy children under 12, thoroughly screened

Fresh stool is collected, filtered, and gently infused into the child’s intestine

Multiple sessions help new bacteria settle in over time
It’s a scientific, step-by-step process backed by safety protocols.

13. What’s the most important thing I can do as a parent of a child with CP?

Be their biggest encouragement. Advocate for therapies early, believe in their potential, and celebrate every small win. CP may change how a child moves—but not how deeply they can love, learn, or live.