What is Cerebral Palsy?

A "spastic" is a person with cerebral palsy. This is a disorder of movement appearing in the early years of life. It is due to damage or failure to develop normally in a small part of the brain controlling these activities. Cerebral palsy takes many forms- in fact no two spastic people are exactly the same. Some are less affected that they have no obvious disability. Others may be clumsy in their walk or they may have difficulties with their limbs or with muscles that help with speech. Some are even unable to stand or sit and thus, are unable to do even simple things for themselves.

Sometimes the damage involves some part of the brain as well. This leads to deafness and other disabilities involving perception. Many spastic children also have learning difficulties, which makes them slow to mature intellectually.

However, spastic people sometimes have higher than average intelligence though many are slow in catching up due to their handicaps. They often find it hard to control their facial expressions and may seem to be feeble-minded or even to be mentally retarded but some of those who seem to be severely disturbed are on the contrary very active intellectually and not least affected by the disorder.