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Cerebral palsy

Description

Cerebral palsy (CP) involves chronic, nonprogressive central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction leading to problems with tone and movement. Children with CP make up a very heterogeneous group. Depending on the original insult, this diagnosis has many clinical manifestations, from very mild to very severe neurological involvement. Children with cerebral palsy may or may not be ambulatory and may or may not have mental retardation.

Some children with CP have the spastic or hypertonic type; these children have increased muscle tone. Children with ataxic or hypotonic CP have decreased muscle tone. Dyskinetic, or athetoid, CP is associated with involuntary movements and impairment of purposeful movement; with athetoid CP, muscle tone can be decreased, normal, or increased. Children with mixed CP have more than one type of movement disorder.

Possible effects on nutrient needs

Energy needs may be increased or decreased:

  • increased with athetoid CP and hypertonia
  • decreased with hypotonia and decreased physical activity

Inadequate nutrient intakes may occur for a number of reasons:

  • communication problems that interfere with a child's ability to indicate hunger and thirst
  • oral motor problems, including problems with sucking, hypo- or hyperactive gag reflexes, tongue thrust, and lip closure
  • impaired motor skills preventing self-feeding
  • improper positioning that makes eating difficult
  • gastroesophageal reflux (which is higher among children with CP)

Possible medication - nutrient interactions
   
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