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00:00Okay. Eddie's up. He likes the ball high and outside, so we should probably pitch him down
00:17and in. Oh, well he has braces on his legs because he has cerebral palsy. But they're
00:25really no big deal. Dear Tim and Moby, I'm 12 and have cerebral palsy and there wasn't
00:35anything on BrainPop about it. Could you make a movie please? From Bailey. Hi Bailey, thanks
00:42for writing in. Cerebral palsy, or CP for short, is a group of muscle disorders. It's
00:49caused by brain injuries that occur before birth or very early in life. These injuries
00:54can impair movement, coordination, speech, and learning. In fact, the word cerebral means
01:01related to the brain, and the word palsy means difficulty with movement. Cerebral palsy affects
01:08different kids in different ways. Most commonly, it causes muscle stiffness, which makes moving
01:14difficult. But it can also cause involuntary motions, as well as problems with balance and
01:19coordination. These problems can affect just about any muscle in the body. It all depends on
01:25which area of the brain is affected. One kid might not be able to walk at all and need a wheelchair
01:31to get around. Another might need braces to walk. Another might be able to walk on her own, but with
01:37an unusual stride. And other kids might have no problem moving, but have issues with speech,
01:43learning, or vision. Well, usually the brain sends out messages telling your body what to do. When you
01:51want to lift your arm, your brain sends a signal to the muscles in your arm, and it moves. But in
01:57kids with CP, the parts of the brain responsible for sending out these messages have lesions,
02:02or damaged areas. The lesions can form while the child is still in his mother's womb, during birth,
02:08or during infancy. In fact, about two out of every thousand babies born is affected by cerebral
02:14palsy. CP affects kids throughout their entire lives, but it's non-progressive. That means it
02:21doesn't get worse over time. So, if a kid's CP is limited to the muscles in his legs, he won't
02:27develop speech problems later on. No, no, you can't catch cerebral palsy. It's non-contagious. It's a
02:35physical injury, like a broken arm, only it affects the brain. Usually, a cause for the injury can't be
02:42identified, but it's often something that happens before birth. In pregnant mothers, certain illnesses
02:48have been shown to increase their baby's risk for developing CP. Occasionally, it's brought on by a
02:53problem during birth, like if the baby doesn't have enough oxygen flowing into its lungs. And some
02:58babies develop CP after they're born. Usually, that's a result of being born prematurely, or
03:05earlier than normal. In cases like this, the baby's lungs aren't properly developed, depriving its brain
03:11of vital oxygen. There's no cure yet, but there are lots of ways kids with CP can improve their
03:17condition. Physical therapy can help with balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength. There's
03:25also speech therapy and occupational therapy to help with strategies for performing everyday
03:29tasks. Surgery and medicine can help loosen muscles and tendons. And devices like braces
03:36and walkers can help if a kid has trouble moving. For speech issues, some people use computers to
03:42help them form words. With this kind of assistance, kids with CP can do a lot of stuff the other kids
03:48can. They can go to school and summer camp, and even play sports. Now what do you say, Moby? Low
03:54and inside, right? Good grief.