Athetoid Cerebral Palsy Definition
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy: A heterogeneous group of nonprogressive motor disorders caused by chronic brain injuries that originate in the prenatal period, perinatal period, or first few years of life. The four major subtypes are spastic, athetoid, ataxic, and mixed cerebral palsy, with spastic forms being the most common. The motor disorder may range from difficulties with fine motor control to severe spasticity (see MUSCLE SPASTICITY) in all limbs. Spastic diplegia (Little disease) is the most common subtype, and is characterized by spasticity that is more prominent in the legs than in the arms. Pathologically, this condition may be associated with LEUKOMALACIA, PERIVENTRICULAR. (From Dev Med Child Neurol 1998 Aug;40(8):520-7)
Synonym: atonic cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia, spastic cerebral palsy, rolandic type cerebral palsy, quadriplegic infantile cerebral palsy, monoplegic infantile cerebral palsy, monoplegic cerebral palsy, mixed cerebral palsy, little disease, hypotonic cerebral palsy, dystonic-rigid cerebral palsy, dyskinetic cerebral palsy, diplegic infantile cerebral palsy, cp (cerebral palsy), congenital cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy.