Problematic Core

• Cerebral palsy is a result of injury to the brain, which most commonly occurs during pregnancy. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder in which genes that produce muscle protein are disturbed.
  
  

Patient Demographic

• CP usually develops due to fetal damage during pregnancy. Traumatic injury during childhood can also lead to the development of cerebral palsy. CP is not more prominent in either gender. MD is an inherited disorder which is more prominent in males.
  
  

Diagnosis

• The first sign of cerebral palsy usually is delay in gross motor skills, like crawling and walking. A physical examination and tests, such as an MRI, are used to diagnosis CP. Family history and muscle biopsy are instruments used in diagnosing muscular dystrophy.
  
  

Prognosis

• Cerebral palsy is not a progressive disability, although CP can make a person more vulnerable to health conditions like arthritis and faster aging organs. Muscular dystrophy does get worse over time. Some people with muscular dystrophy are still able to live relatively normal lives while others lose abilities like walking.
  
  

Treatment

• Physical therapy, speech therapy and antispastic prescription medication are all treatment options used to treat both CP and muscular dystrophy. Additionally, corticosteroids are used in treating muscular dystrophy in order to slow down muscle degeneration.