Is cerebral palsy a degenerative disease?

Cerebral palsy is not genetic; it is a disorder that can sometimes result from a brain injury experienced at birth, but in most instances, physicians are unsure of its cause. It is not, however, a disease that is passed along through DNA. In fact, cerebral palsy can no more be passed along through the DNA than any other injury such as a broken bone or a laceration.

Cerebral palsy is not degenerative:

When a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, child’s case of cerebral palsy can improve with consistent exercise and regular sessions with a variety of healthcare specialists, including speech and language therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and orthopedic surgeons. Cerebral palsy affects the motor area of the brain’s outer layer (called the cerebral cortex), the part of the brain that directs muscle movement.

Cerebral palsy is a neurologic disorder:

It is caused by brain damage usually sustained during fetal development or delivery. The damage to the brain interferes with muscle coordination and body movements causing delayed development in infants.

Physical disability is a part of cerebral palsy:

Symptoms of cerebral palsy include a lack of muscle coordination, stiff or tight muscles, a drop foot, an unbalanced gait, crouched walking, walking on the toes, a lack of muscle tone, excessive drooling, tremors and difficulty with tasks requiring precise movements like buttoning a shirt.

Cerebral Palsy leads to malnutrition:

Children with cerebral palsy who cannot feed themselves are often malnourished and underweight, which can lead to life-threatening problems. In addition, children with severe cases of lack of muscle control are more prone to severe accidents that may lead to life-threatening head injuries.

Patient symptoms can differ:

Cerebral palsy is a wide-spectrum disorder, meaning although two children may have cerebral palsy, it doesn’t mean that their symptoms will be similar. While some children may only experience spastic movements, others may experience more pronounced spastic movements along with cognitive disorders. One child may have no control at all over bodily movements, while another child may be able to control movements with little or no assistance. Therefore, treatment will greatly depend on each individual circumstance. However, one of the most distinguishing characteristics is that cerebral palsy is not degenerative