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173). Because CP results from the damage in the brain, any injury to the brain during its development that happens before, during, immediately after or after a few years of childbirth potentially causes a child to have this condition. The insult to the brain maybe precipitated by anoxia or absence of oxygen, infections, brain malformations, head injuries, and genetic disorders (“Cerebral Palsy,” 2009, p. 212). These cases may consequence the affected child with mild, moderate or severe affectations.

According to Professional Guide to Diseases, the condition appears to be more common in the male children than in females (2009, p. 173). Peacock (2000, p. 20) highlighted the three ways the children may be affected. They may (a) have weak muscles, (b) lack muscle tone in some muscles, or (c) have tightness in their muscles. Each one can exist without the other; in unfortunate cases, however, a child can have all. Other symptoms include inability to do various motor skills such as reaching, crawling, sitting, walking, writing and grasping things.

Balance and gait, speech, and eating are also be affected. The child will also be easily fatigued. Due to the existence of these problems, a child faces more challenging issues as he or she grows. Without cerebral palsy, a person can effortlessly maintain an upright position against gravity with less level of tension demanded from the body and the muscle groups involved in such movement. People “can automatically adjust our position in a coordinated way to balance and move” (Hinchcliffe, 2003, p. 7). Moreover, the brain normally directs the whole body as to how and when it should move.

Specific neural signals are sent to specific receptors which in turn enable the muscles to move as intended (Latash, 2008, p. 195). Since there is damage to the brain affecting this task in people with cerebral palsy, there is impairment in the normal function of muscle control and coordination.