Cerebral palsy can be classified according to the areas of the body affected and the type of movement disorder involved.
Involvement of one limb.
Involvement of one side of the body.
Involvement of both lower limbs with minimal involvement of the upper limbs.
No upper limb involvement, with only lower limb involvement.
Involvement of one side of the body, as in hemiplegia, combined with involvement of the contralateral lower limb. The lower limb involvement is always asymmetrical.
Involvement of all four limbs and the trunk. The alternative name is ‘whole body involvement’.
Characterised by muscles and joints that are tight and inability to stretch them. Child walks on toes or legs make scissors movements.
(Dyskinetic, athetoid, chorea, ataxia, hypotonia) This is characterised by twisting, jerking, or writhing of the hands, feet, arms, or legs while awake, which gets worse during periods of stress.