Athetoid cerebral palsy (aka dyskinetic cerebral palsy) is a type of CP, primarily associated with damage, like other forms of CP, to the basal ganglia, in teh form of lesions that occur during brain development, due to bilirubin encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

• Extrapyramidal form, and therefore non-spastic, as spastic CP results from damage to the brain's corticospinal pathways

• Both hypertonia and hypotonia, due to the affected patient's inability to control muscle tone, unlike spastic or ataxic CP

• Based on motor characteristics:
  • Choreathetoid CP, involving involuntary movements most predominantly found in the face and extremities
  • Dystonic ADCP, involving slow, strong contractions, which may occur locally or encompass the whole body
• Based on topographic distirbution of muscle spasticity:
  • Diplegic (bilateral involvement with leg involvement greater than arm involvement)
  • Hemiplegic (unilateral involvement)
  • Quadriplegic (bilateral involvement with arm involvement equal to or greater than leg involvement)

• Usually occurs within 18 months of birth, and is primarily based upon motor function and neuroimaging techniques

• No cure
• Drugs, speech, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy have shown capacity for Tx Sx