Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions that affect body movements and muscle coordination. It is due to damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development or infancy. It can also occur before, during or shortly following birth.

"Cerebral" refers to the brain and "Palsy" to an abnormality in movement or posture.  If someone has cerebral palsy it means that because of an injury to their brain (cerebral) they are unable to use some of the muscles in their body in the normal way (palsy). Children with cerebral palsy usually are not able to walk, talk, eat or play in the same ways as most other children.

Cerebral palsy is not progressive or communicable. It is also not "curable" in the accepted sense, although education, therapy and applied technology do help persons with cerebral palsy lead productive lives. It is important to know that cerebral palsy is not a disease or illness so cannot be contagious and it does not get worse. Children who have cerebral palsy will have it all their lives.

Cerebral palsy is marked by an inability to fully control motor function, particularly muscle control and coordination. Depending on which areas of the brain have been damaged, people with cerebral palsy may experience muscle tightness or spasms, involuntary movement, disturbance in gait and mobility, abnormal sensation and perception, impairment of sight, hearing or speech and also seizures.