This site is intended to provide information on the associated conditions of cerebral palsy.
Children who have cerebral palsy often have various muscle and skeletal problems which crop up as they age. As a young child, they may have a period of low muscle tone (hypotonia). This occurs before other problems in muscle tone and movement become apparent.
The imbalance of muscle tone and strength can result in skeletal problems. The child may develop scoliosis (an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine). The joints may lose their ability to bend, and the hip joints may dislocate easily.
Hip dislocation in children with spastic cerebral palsy is common with the occurance being directly related to the severity of the spasicity.
This dislocation can lead to significant pain if the dislocation is left untreated. In addition to pain the dislocated hip may cause difficulties with the individual's sitting ability and perineal hygiene; and it may contribute to the formation of pelvic obliquity, skin breakdown, and scoliosis.
Children with cerebral palsy have a high incidence of scoliosis which often becomes severe. This can lead to sitting balance problems for children who are wheelchair dependent, and ultimately to respiratory and cardiac problems. Some children can be treated with bracing, but many will benefit from surgery.