CSDS 114 - PHYSICAL DISABILITES, HEALTH DISORDERS, TBI

Types of cerebral palsy 

• Monoplegia: one limb (usually arm) 

• Hemiplegia: one side of the body (including arm, leg, trunk) 

• Diplegia: affects symmetrical parts of the body (legs or arms) 

• Quadriplegia: affects all 4 limbs

Causes of cerebral palsy

• Fundamental cause: injury to the brain 

  • 70% cause occur prior to birth 

  • 30% occur during birthing process

Spina Bifida

an abnormal opening in the spinal column 

  Types of spina bifida 

• Spina bifida occulta: 

  • Mild condition 

  • Small slit is present in one or more of the vertebral structures 

  • Person may be unaware until a spinal x-ray 

  • Little impact on developing infant

• Cystica: 

  • Frequently involving some paralysis 

  • Opening may influence intellectual functioning 

  • Tumor like sac herniated through an opening or clef on the infants back 

  • Two common forms: 

• Meningocele: 

  • A tumor like sac on the back of the infant 

  • Contains spinal fluid but not nerve tissue 

• Myelomeningocele:

  • Sac contains nerve tissue 

  • Paralysis or partial paralysis 

  • Lack of bowel and bladder control 

  • Most serious form 

  • Sac can be open oe closed or covered with combination of skin and membrane

Spinal cord injuries - who gets them, prevalence 

Who gets them?

• Those whose spinal cord is traumatized or severed 

Prevalence 

• 450,000 people live with spinal cord injuries in the U.S

• 38 years old = average age 

• 5% of SCI’s occur in children

Muscular dystrophy:

• Genetic disease marked by 

  • Progressive weakness

  • Degeneration 

  • Death of skeletal or voluntary muscle which control movement 

  • Heart, organs, and involuntary muscles also involved in some forms 

  • May affect muscle of hips, legs, shoulder, and arms progressively 

  • Fatty tissues that gradually replaces muscle tissue

  • Seriousness influences 

    • Hereditary, age of onset, the physical location, and nature of onset, and the rate at which the condition progresses

Types of muscular dystrophy (DMD)

• Duchenne (DMD) 

  • Most common childhood form

  • Manifests itself between ages 2-6

Prevalence and cause of epilepsy

• Prevalence

• 2,000,000 ppl in the us have some form of this 

• 50% appear before 10 years of age

• Causes

  • Perinatal factors

  • Tumors

  • Head trauma 

  • Infections 

  • Vascular disease

  • Alcoholism 

  • Maternal injury 

  • Toxic agents

Cystic fibrosis:

• Inherited, systematic, generalized disorder of the secretion glands that begins at conception 

• Abnormal secretions obstruct the functions of the lungs, pancreas, and sweat glands

Sickles cell anemia - race groups affected, prevalence

• Race groups affected 

  • 1 in 500 African American infants 

  • 7-10% of African American carry the sickle cell gene

  • 1 in 1,000 to 1,400 Hispanics born with SCA

TBI - open vs closed

• Closed 

  • Non-penetrating brain injury 

  • When skull is intact, injury is due to sudden acceleration-decelration forced or impact

• Open 

  • Skull penetration and localized brain damage 

  • When object pierces the skull directly

Effects of TBI

• Cognition 

• Speech 

• Language 

• Social and behavioral aspects

• Neuromotor and physical disabilities 

• Vision and hearing may be impaired 

• Physical functioning