Cerebral palsy is primarily characterized by issues with which type of movement?

Cerebral palsy is primarily characterized by poorly controlled body movement due to abnormalities in the brain's development that affect motor control. This neurological condition leads to a variety of movement disorders, which can include difficulties in coordination, balance, and muscle tone.

Individuals with cerebral palsy may exhibit spasticity, where muscles are stiff and tightly contracted, or they may have ataxia, which involves a lack of coordination and balance. These motor control issues are the result of damage to the parts of the brain that govern movement, making poorly controlled body movement the defining characteristic of this condition.

While joint movement, fluid body movement, and fine motor skill control may be affected in individuals with cerebral palsy, the overarching issue is the lack of control over movement patterns, which aligns with the idea of poorly controlled body movement being the most relevant descriptor of this disorder.