Parent Question

What is cerebral palsy (CP)?

Published: May. 9, 2025

Cerebral palsy (CP), the most common mobility or motor-related disability in children, affects a person’s ability to control their muscles. Cerebral palsy is caused by an abnormal brain development or damage before, during, or after a baby is born. The CDC reports that 85% to 90% of CP cases are congenital, although the cause is unknown in some cases.

The four main types of CP are:

Spastic
Dyskinetic
Ataxic
Mixed

To learn more about CP, how it's diagnosed, and how to support children with CP, see our full article Cerebral Palsy (CP) 101.

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