Ataxic CP is the least common form of cerebral palsy.
Ataxia means having a lack of balance. People with ataxic
CP have a disturbed sense of balance and depth perception.
They usually have low muscle tone, a staggering walk
and unsteady hands. Ataxia results from damage to the
cerebellum, the brain's major center for balance and
coordination.1 A
child with ataxic cerebral palsy may have an uncoordinated
and wide-based gait or difficulty standing in one place
without moving. Ataxia continues to improve until the
age of 8 to 10, at which time the balance and coordination
system reaches maximum improvement. Because ataxia involves
the hands, it makes fine motor control activities, such
as writing, difficult.2
Ataxia CP affected people have a lot of shakiness,
like a tremor you might have seen in a very old person,
especially when they are trying to handle or hold a
small object such as a pen.3
1. OFCP: About Cerebral Palsy.
http://www.ofcp.on.ca/aboutcp.html
2 . 1995. Miller, Freeman, and Bachrach, Steven J. Cerebral
Palsy: A Complete Guide for Caregiving. Johns Hopkins
University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. p. 345.
3. Ask the Doctor: About Cerebral Palsy. http://www.about-cerebral-palsy.org/definition/ataxic-cerebral-palsy.html
