Cerebral palsy (CP)

Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects muscle control and movement. It affects about 1 in every 400 children in the UK.

It is usually caused by an injury to the brain before, during or after birth, but there may be no obvious single reason. The main causes include:

• infection in the early part of pregnancy
• lack of oxygen to the brain
• abnormal brain development
• a genetic link but this is quite rare

Clinical negligence

There is no cure, but physiotherapy and other therapies can often help people become more independent.

Treatments and therapies should reflect individual needs, as CP affects people in different ways.