π§ This is how and Why These Disabilities Happen.
Congenital movement and speech impairments, like inability to walk and talk, usually stem from brain injury or abnormal brain development before, during, or soon after birth.
πΌ 1. Cerebral Palsy (CP)
CP is the most common cause of early-life motor deficits. It results from damage or malformation of the motor cortex in the brain.
The spastic form affects about 80% of CP cases and causes muscle stiffness, weakness, and lack of control, often preventing walking or clear speech.
Major risk factors include premature birth, low birth weight, birth complications (like lack of oxygen), and maternal infections.
πΆββοΈ 2. Why Walking May Fail
Around 47% of children with spastic diplegia or quadriplegia cannot walk by age six. Factors like retained primitive reflexes, inability to sit without support early, and epilepsy predict poorer walking outcomes.
π£οΈ 3. Why Talking Is Affected
Roughly 25% of children with CP are non-verbal, often due to poor coordination of speech muscles, weak respiratory control, or intellectual challenges.
Other causes include genetic syndromes (e.g., Down syndrome, FOXP2 mutations), structural brain malformations, and early hearing loss; all can delay or prevent speech development.
β Bottom Line
Severe childhood disability typically means early damage to or abnormal development of brain regions that control movement and speech. This results in poor muscle control and coordination. Early diagnosis, therapy, and support can greatly help, but it’s usually lifelong and non-progressive.
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