[3] The most common manifestation of ataxic cerebral palsy is intention (action) tremor, which is especially apparent when carrying out precise movements, such as tying shoe laces or writing with a pencil.
Like all forms of CP it is most common for ataxic cerebral palsy to be congenital, resulting from errors in the development of the cerebellum and connexins during pregnancy.
Infants with the condition often take a significantly longer amount of time to be able to walk without support, and over 50% of all children with ataxic cerebral palsy experience some form of a learning disability or speech impediment.
[5] Approximately 2-2.5 per thousand children born in the western world have cerebral palsy, with increasing incidence in twin and premature births.
[5][7] The majority of cases that present malformation of the cerebellum are congenital, however acquired ataxic cerebral palsy can result from meningitis, trauma, birth complications, and encephalopathies (septic, acute, disseminated, and toxic).
Diagnosis begins with the observation of slow motor development, abnormal muscle tone, and unusual posture in children that fail to reach developmental milestones.
[5] The testing strategy is based on the pattern of development of symptoms, the patient's family history, and any factors that might influence the diagnosis, such as injury or trauma.
[4] Because there is no cure for ataxic cerebral palsy, current methods of treatment are diverse, often consisting of multiple focuses designed to limit the severity of symptoms.
In addition, utilizing diagnostic techniques to identify the nature and severity of brain abnormalities has become increasingly beneficial for treatment in recent years.
[4] A few recently published papers outlined a potential method for treating intention tremor which consisted of cooling the forearm by wrapping it in a cryomanchet using a circulating fluid.
[4] The first documented clinical interest in childhood cerebellar disorders was seen in 1861 when the German pathologist Nikolaus Friedreich published his paper titled "familial spino-cerebellar degeneration."
His further studies of the late 19th century noted symptoms including tremor, hypotonia, diminished or lost tendon jerks, and slurred speech.
[5] Numerous recent publications have provided evidence suggesting that increased aerobic exercise for children with ataxic cerebral palsy can improve physiological outcomes.
[2] Improvements in both genetic studies and brain imaging techniques over the past few decades may suggest a promising future for treating ataxic cerebral palsy.
While this has been a somewhat controversial recommendation due to the lack of evidence behind the decision, it does appear that in the coming years neuroimaging will become an increasing aspect of both diagnosing and treating ataxic cerebral palsy.