Cerebral Palsy Information Blog

Understanding the Complexities of Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Among cases of the chronic condition cerebral palsy, the ataxic form is the least common, according to the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral palsy results from injury to the brain or spinal cord during pregnancy, birth or in very early childhood. When the cerebellum portion of the brain, which is responsible for balance and coordination, is damaged ataxic CP is often the result. People with this form of the condition have depth perception difficulties. They often have an unsteady walk, shaky hands and low muscle tone.

What Is Ataxic CP?

Most people have heard of cerebral palsy and may have at least a brief understanding of the condition, but few know the classifications of CP. One of the classifications is called ataxic cerebral palsy. This form of the condition results from damage to the cerebellum portion of the brain, which is responsible for balance and coordination, according to CerebralPalsySource.com, and occurs in about 5 to 10 percent of cerebral palsy cases. People who fall into this grouping experience problems with depth perception and balance. They also usually have poor muscle tone, trembling hands and staggering movement.

What is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy?

As you all know, cerebral palsy is a condition that affects body movement and muscle coordination. With no particular cause, there are several possible factors that can lead to cerebral palsy.Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage occurring during pregnancy, during delivery or shortly thereafter. With several different types of cerebral palsy, all classified by the way that they affect the individual, ataxic cerebral palsy is the least common type. Some figures place the number of individuals with ataxic cerebral palsy at around 10 percent of all those with CP.

What is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy?

Around five to ten percent of all cases of cerebral palsy are ataxic cerebral palsy. This is when the cerebellum is damaged--a part of the brain that normally helps with balance and coordination. If the cerebellum is damaged, poor muscle tone, hypotonia, difficulty maintaining balance and more can result.

What is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy?

Ataxic cerebral palsy is actually the rarest form of cerebral palsy, which affects only 5 to 10 percent of people who suffer from the disorder. The severity of Ataxic cerebral palsy is largely determined by the amount of brain damage that has been sustained. A child will initially show the same level of symptoms of Ataxic cerebral palsy as the rest of their life. The main characteristics of this form of cerebral palsy include muscular contraction issues, shakiness, poor balance and an unsteady gait.