Types of Cerebral Palsy: From Spastic to Ataxic, Understanding the Differences

Types of Cerebral Palsy: From Spastic to Ataxic, Understanding the Differences

Cerebral palsy comes in different forms—spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, and mixed—each with unique challenges. Some cases stem from genetic factors or unavoidable complications. Others? They’re the result of avoidable medical errors—oxygen deprivation, improper delivery techniques, or sheer negligence. And when that happens, families deserve answers.

At Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Alliance, our network of attorneys connects families with legal professionals who know birth injury law inside and out. If a hospital’s mistake harmed your child, the right lawyer will help you take action. 

Call 888-894-9067 today to get connected with a birth injury attorney.

The Four Types of Cerebral Palsy – A Breakdown

Cerebral palsy doesn’t come in a one-size-fits-all package. It’s a broad diagnosis covering a spectrum of movement disorders, each with its own challenges. The medical world categorizes these differences into four primary types of cerebral palsy: spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, and mixed.

Spastic Cerebral Palsy – The Tight Grip of Muscle Stiffness

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form, making up about 80% of all CP cases. It happens when damage to the motor cortex causes muscle hypertonia, a fancy term for “muscles that won’t loosen up.” Instead of moving fluidly, muscles stay rigid, making even basic motions feel forced and unnatural.

Subtypes of Spastic CP

Doctors break spastic CP down into three categories based on which parts of the body are affected:

• Spastic Diplegia – Primarily affects the legs. Walking becomes difficult because the muscles pull too tightly, leading to a characteristic “scissor-like” gait. Many children with spastic diplegia need mobility aids, like walkers or braces, to get around.
• Spastic Hemiplegia – Affects one side of the body. The arm is usually more impacted than the leg, making fine motor tasks—like tying shoelaces or buttoning a shirt—especially frustrating. Some children with this form develop a limp or walk on their toes due to tight Achilles tendons.
• Spastic Quadriplegia – The most severe form, impacting all four limbs. Many children with quadriplegia have difficulty controlling their heads and require wheelchairs for mobility. This form is often linked to severe birth injuries, like prolonged oxygen deprivation during delivery.

The Everyday Struggles

Stiff muscles interfere with daily life in ways most people never think about. Tying a ponytail, brushing teeth, gripping a fork—every action requires extra effort. Chronic pain is common, as muscles fight against themselves, never fully relaxing. And because spasticity worsens with growth, many children with spastic CP undergo multiple surgeries to lengthen tendons and reduce stiffness.

Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy – When Your Body Moves Without Permission

Unlike spastic CP, which makes muscles too tight, dyskinetic cerebral palsy makes them completely unpredictable. One moment, muscles are stiff; the next, they’re limp and unresponsive. This type of CP results from damage to the basal ganglia, the part of the brain that helps coordinate voluntary movement. Instead of controlled motion, people with dyskinetic CP experience involuntary muscle contractions, twisting, and repetitive movements.

The Different Types of Movement Issues

Dyskinetic CP is a mix of different types of involuntary motion, each with its own frustrating effects:

• Athetoid Movements – Slow, writhing movements that affect the hands, feet, arms, or legs. Imagine trying to write a letter, but your fingers refuse to stay still long enough to grip the pen properly.
• Chorea – Rapid, jerky, unpredictable movements. Picture someone constantly fidgeting, except they have no control over when or how it happens.
• Dystonia – Repetitive, twisting postures that force the body into unnatural positions. Some people develop painful muscle contractions that last for seconds or even minutes.

The Everyday Struggles

Because dyskinetic CP affects both fine and gross motor skills, simple actions—like picking up a spoon or brushing hair—turn into frustrating battles with an uncooperative body. Speech muscles are frequently affected, making it difficult to form words or control facial expressions. And since these movements happen involuntarily, there’s no way to predict when they’ll interfere with daily tasks.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy – The Balance Battle

Ataxic cerebral palsy is the least common form, affecting coordination and balance. It results from damage to the cerebellum, the brain’s movement control center. Instead of stiff or jerky movements, people with ataxic CP struggle with shaky, imprecise motions that make even simple tasks feel like they require extreme concentration.

The Key Challenges of Ataxic CP

• Unsteady Walking – Many people with ataxic CP walk with a wide gait, trying to compensate for balance issues. The movement looks exaggerated, almost as if the person is trying to steady themselves on an invisible tightrope.
• Poor Coordination – Tasks requiring precision—like writing, cutting food, or buttoning a shirt—become painstakingly difficult. Shaky hands make holding a pen steady nearly impossible.
• Depth Perception Issues – Judging distances is tricky. Pouring a drink without spilling, reaching for an object without knocking it over—these simple actions become constant challenges.

The Everyday Struggles

Unlike other forms of CP, where movement issues are more predictable, ataxic CP makes everything feel unsteady and uncertain. Walking across a crowded room requires full concentration, and quick movements—like catching a ball—are out of the question.

Mixed Cerebral Palsy – When It Doesn’t Fit in a Box

Not everyone with cerebral palsy fits neatly into one category. Mixed CP happens when multiple areas of the brain are affected, leading to a combination of movement issues. The most common combination is spastic-dyskinetic CP, where muscle stiffness and involuntary movements exist together, making mobility even more complex.

Why Mixed CP is More Complex

• Symptoms vary widely, making treatment and therapy harder to standardize.
• The unpredictability of movement means some days are better than others—mobility can fluctuate depending on stress, fatigue, or growth spurts.
• Medical management requires a multi-disciplinary approach, including physical therapy, medication for muscle control, and sometimes surgery.

The Everyday Struggles

Because mixed CP includes symptoms from different types, people with this condition face multiple movement challenges at once. A child might have spastic legs that make walking stiff and painful, combined with dystonic arm movements that interfere with fine motor skills. Treatment requires a tailored approach to manage the overlapping symptoms effectively.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy? Science vs. Negligence

A baby’s brain is a battlefield. From the moment of conception, billions of neurons fight for survival, forming connections that shape everything from reflexes to reasoning. Most of the time, this process unfolds without issue. But when the causes of cerebral palsy—such as lack of oxygen, trauma, or infection—disrupt this process, the damage can be irreversible.

Cerebral palsy starts with an injury to the developing brain, usually before or during birth. Sometimes, this happens due to uncontrollable biological factors—genetic mutations, premature birth, or an infection the mother didn’t even know she had. Other times, it’s the direct result of medical negligence—a doctor who missed warning signs, a hospital that failed to act fast enough, or a delivery gone horribly wrong.

The Uncontrollable Factors

No amount of medical intervention stops certain pregnancies from going sideways. Some babies are born too early, others with conditions that affect brain development long before birth. Medical science still doesn’t have all the answers, but researchers have pinpointed several unavoidable factors that increase the likelihood of cerebral palsy:

• Genetic Mutations – While cerebral palsy isn’t hereditary, some cases involve spontaneous genetic mutations that disrupt brain development. Studies from Frontiers in Neurology suggest these mutations interfere with neuronal communication, leading to movement disorders.
• Maternal Infections – Infections during pregnancy, like cytomegalovirus (CMV) or rubella, expose the baby’s brain to inflammatory responses that damage developing neural pathways. Research links maternal infections to a significantly higher risk of CP.
• Fetal Stroke – If a blood clot or blocked vessel cuts off oxygen to the baby’s brain, cerebral palsy may follow. Fetal strokes can happen due to maternal clotting disorders, high blood pressure, or undiagnosed placental issues.
• Premature Birth – Babies born before 32 weeks face an increased risk of CP because their brains haven’t finished developing. The earlier a baby is born, the more fragile their brain tissue, leaving them susceptible to damage from bleeding or oxygen deprivation.

Some of these factors are manageable with proper medical care. A mother with an infection should receive antibiotics. A baby showing signs of fetal distress should be delivered immediately. When medical professionals fail to act, the line between unavoidable complications and preventable harm starts to blur.

The Preventable Cases

Medical negligence doesn’t cause every case of cerebral palsy, but it plays a role in more cases than many hospitals would like to admit. A baby’s brain needs oxygen—deprive it for too long, and brain cells start dying within minutes. A difficult birth isn’t automatically malpractice, but when doctors miss warning signs, delay necessary interventions, or make avoidable mistakes, the consequences can last a lifetime.

The Delivery Room Mistakes That Cause CP

• Oxygen Deprivation (Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, or HIE)
  • The single biggest cause of preventable cerebral palsy. When a baby’s oxygen levels drop too low for too long, brain cells die.
  • This happens when doctors fail to monitor fetal distress, wait too long to perform an emergency C-section, or use incorrect resuscitation techniques after birth.
  • Delayed C-sections are a leading cause of HIE-related cerebral palsy.
• Misuse of Forceps or Vacuum Extractors
  • Forceps and vacuum extractors help deliver babies when labor stalls, but when used improperly, they cause skull fractures, brain bleeds, and lifelong damage.
• Failure to Diagnose Maternal or Fetal Infections
  • Some infections—like Group B Streptococcus (GBS)—spread to the baby if left untreated.
  • Newborns with untreated infections have a higher risk of brain inflammation, seizures, and CP, according to data from Clinics of Perinatology.
• Jaundice Left Untreated (Kernicterus)
  • Jaundice is common in newborns, but when left untreated, high bilirubin levels can cause brain damage.
  • Kernicterus—a severe form of jaundice-related brain damage—is 100% preventable with proper medical care.

The Harsh Reality: Families Often Learn Too Late

Parents don’t usually realize something went wrong during birth until years later, when their child starts missing developmental milestones. By then, the medical records are filed away, the doctors have moved on, and the hospital won’t volunteer that a mistake was made. But make no mistake—hospitals and insurers know exactly which cases involved medical negligence. That’s why they settle birth injury lawsuits quietly and quickly, hoping families never push for the truth.

What to Do If You Suspect Medical Malpractice

Step 1: Request Medical Records

Hospitals keep detailed records of labor, delivery, and neonatal care. These documents hold the answers—fetal heart rate patterns, oxygen levels, APGAR scores, and doctor’s notes. Get them before the hospital “loses” something important.

Step 2: Get an Independent Medical Review

Don’t take the hospital’s word for it. Have an independent doctor analyze the records for red flags—delayed C-sections, ignored fetal distress, botched delivery techniques. If a preventable mistake caused your child’s condition, this is how you prove it.

Step 3: Consult a Birth Injury Lawyer

Medical malpractice cases are technical, expensive, and brutal. Hospitals fight to protect their reputations. Insurance companies fight to keep their money. A lawyer who specializes in CP cases knows how to take them on—and win.

Step 4: File a Lawsuit (If Necessary)

If medical negligence caused your child’s cerebral palsy, a lawsuit covers what the hospital won’t—medical care, therapy, adaptive equipment, lifelong expenses. A legal case won’t change the past, but it can secure your child’s future.

Fight for Answers. Fight for Justice.

Hospitals have lawyers. Insurance companies have lawyers. If medical negligence caused your child’s cerebral palsy, you need one too. Doctors won’t tell you if they made a mistake. Hospitals won’t admit they waited too long. But the truth is in the medical records—and the right attorney knows how to find it.

Call 888-894-9067 today to get connected with a lawyer who will fight for your family’s future.