Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

The rarest form of cerebral palsy is ataxic cerebral palsy. This is a result of damage sustained either when the brain is malformed or due to injury to the cerebellum.

Responsible for fine motor functions is the cerebellum, which entail using smaller muscles to perform more specific movements, and to maintain balance and posture.

Individuals sustaining difficulties from this condition may find what is considered menial and simple tasks to be an extreme challenge. Thus, this may require continuous assistance and care for adjustments to be made, which may permit them to attain independence.

Coordination and balance play major roles when determining whether the child suffers from ataxia. This is due to the relationship between the primary functions linked and the cerebellum.


Before reaching a diagnosis, making an assessment of symptoms of a child, requires following certain factors considered when making a determination of ataxia.


Extremely small movements are required of smaller muscle groups in maintaining posture. In our normal actions, we hardly notice them. However, an effect on ataxia is in the brain's ability to control body muscles.

The inability to maintain balance and posture is the result.

Fine motor skills mirror the ability to perform coordinated and precise movements, while gross motor skills are defined as being able to work in tandem between one large muscle group to the other.

Individuals suffering from ataxia may shake or tremor when attempting to do simple tasks, such as button a shirt or pick up a marker.

Unfortunately, this imprecision may cause individuals to pair imbalanced or clumsy.

Individuals with ataxic cerebral palsy normally have the inability to balance properly; this can cause their stance to increase in width while walking and standing just to compensate.

These individuals will find it a real challenge to move around on a decline or incline, over ground with variations in height or texture, or any other uneven surfaces.

In the way communication occurs with the brain to the muscles, ataxia can cause disruptions, and may even result in shaky movements.

When doing actions which stipulate precision, this can become more prevalent.

Among the most typical signs of this condition is when a young child attempts to reach for any object, and can overreach, which can exceed the distance stipulated to pick it up.

Actions that are repetitive are vastly challenging for those with ataxia such as clapping, typing, or writing.

Ataxia that has an effect on oral motor function can result in speech that is breathy; children affected by this impediment may discover that they slur or stutter their words, and can even struggle between syllables.

Ataxic cerebral palsy, much like other types of cerebral palsy, can have an effect on the ability to swallow or chew properly; as a result, this can cause secondary conditions.

Ataxic cerebral palsy may cause difficulty for sufferers to have an ability to focus vision to perform muscle movements that are precise, which can allow individuals to maintain focus or scan a field of vision.

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