How is Cerebral Palsy classified?

• A. By motor type (spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic) and by distribution (hemiplegia, diplegia, quadriplegia).
• B. By age of onset only.
• C. By lesion side only.
• D. By associated seizures.

Answer: (A)

Classification of cerebral palsy centers on how movement and posture are affected and how that impairment is distributed in the body. The main way clinicians categorize CP is by motor type: spastic CP, which involves stiffness and velocity-dependent resistance to movement; dyskinetic CP, characterized by involuntary movements such as dystonia or choreoathetoid patterns; and ataxic CP, marked by poor balance and coordination. Along with this, the distribution describes which body parts are involved: hemiplegia means one side of the body is affected; diplegia mainly involves the legs with less impact on the arms; quadriplegia involves all four limbs and the trunk. Often these descriptors are combined, such as spastic diplegia or dyskinetic quadriplegia, to convey both the movement pattern and the extent of involvement. Features like a history of seizures are important for care but don’t define how CP is classified.