Posted by Teresa Kellerman on November 29, 2000 at 20:23:07:

In Reply to: Re: Static Encephalopathy posted by Mark and Brenda Walsh on November 14, 2000 at 17:44:20:

Static encephalopathy is a generic diagnosis that means brain damage that does not get any beter or any worse. Static encephalopathy can refer to seisure disorder, cerebral palsy, lead poisoning, fetal alcohol effects, and other disorders that are a manifestation of permanent brain damage. Doctor's don't usually use this term as a diagnosis unless they can't pinpoint a specific cause or if they want to avoid using the term cerebral palsy. It has commonly been used interchangeably with cerebral palsy, but the term static encephalopathy can include much more than just cerebral palsy. Sometimes, if the degree of damage is mild enough, the doctors avoid the term cerebral palsy because of the stigma that is attached and the false assumption that this means the child will have mental retardation, which is not always the case. Many people with mild cerebral palsy have normal or above normal intelligence.