Athetoid Cerebral Palsy : OriginsOfCerebralPalsy.com

As an infant, if propped in a sitting position where they are trying to hold up their own trunk, an extensor spasm is likely to occur putting the child at risk of falling or jerking backwards hitting their head.

Proper alignment and support of the hips, trunk and shoulders is crucial for the child with athetoid Cerebral Palsy. When the body is placed either sitting or standing and held in a symmetrical position with attention to the midline, involuntary movements are reduced giving the child more chance to control the movements in their arms which are usually the more affected of the limbs.

Most children with athetosis have a quadriplegic pattern though the arms will usually be more affected than the legs. For those with moderate athetosis they can learn to use their extremities well enough to take care of daily activities on their own and can walk. For children with severe athetosis, walking independently is not possible and they are often not able to assist while transferring into and out of their wheelchair. Some will have difficulty feeding themselves and will have difficulty sitting without the use of special seating support.

Because of the lack of muscle control and the presence of involuntary muscle movement, many children with athetosis find speaking and communicating even though they have normal cognitive development. These are some of the most difficult problems to overcome even with the use of various therapies. For this reason, the early use of augmentative communication devises should be encouraged if the child is not speaking. These devices can be thought of like a artificial limb that is taking the place of the limb that is missing allowing the child to function more normally.