Different types of Cerebral Palsy

     There are different types of Cerebral Palsy. There are four types of CP, Spastic, Dyskinetic, Ataxic and a mixture of all three. Spastic CP is the most common type. Spastic CP affects about 80% of people with CP. People with spastic CP have increased muscle tone. This means their muscles are stiff and, as a result, their movements can be awkward. Spastic CP usually is described by what parts of the body are affected: Spastic diplegia/diparesis―In this type of CP, muscle stiffness is mainly in the legs, with the arms less affected or not affected at all. People with spastic diplegia might have difficulty walking because tight hip and leg muscles cause their legs to pull together, turn inward, and cross at the knees (also known as scissoring). Spastic hemiplegia/hemiparesis―This type of CP affects only one side of a person’s body; usually the arm is more affected than the leg. Spastic quadriplegia/quadriparesis―Spastic quadriplegia is the most severe form of spastic CP and affects all four limbs, the trunk, and the face. People with spastic quadriparesis usually cannot walk and often have other developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability; seizures; or problems with vision, hearing, or speech.
     Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy affects the movement of their hands, arms, feet, and legs, making it difficult to sit and walk. The movements can be slow or jerky. Occasionally, the face and tongue may be impacted, resulting in difficulties with sucking, swallowing, and speaking. A person with dyskinetic CP has muscle tone that can change (varying from too tight to too loose) not only from day to day, but even during a single day.
     Ataxic Cerebral Palsy affects balance and coordination. They might be unsteady when they walk. They might have a hard time with quick movements or movements that need a lot of control, like writing. They might have a hard time controlling their hands or arms when they reach for something.
      Mixed Cerebral Palsy is a combination of spastic, dyskinetic and athetoid.
     My parents only received a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. However, while working on my first book, I discovered that there are multiple types of Cerebral Palsy. I thought I had a mixture form of Spastic and Athetoid CP, but now I’m leaning toward Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy by how my body acts.
     One of my BFF is just like me, but she can talk clearly. We had a classmate that had CP worse than us, but we all are the same. Now I'm just speaking for myself. My muscles get stiff. I say that my body has a mind of its own. People think I don't weigh much, but I'm dead weight. I can't stead anybody lift me. If I can do lift myself, I'll try. I don't trust myself with breakable things. I grab things tightly without realizing it. I don't trust a cup without a lid. I drool and that is the hardest thing to accept. I have tried to take medicine for it, but it affected my eyes. I type slowly and communicating is hard especially when people move on to a different subject. I text mostly than use my machine.