CEREBRAL PALSY

SYMPTOMS OF CEREBRAL PALSY

What are the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Symptoms of cerebral palsy include problems with muscle tone, movement, balance or coordination.

In some infants, problems are evident soon after birth.

In others, diagnosis comes in later infancy or toddlerhood.

“In infants who are developing typically, we often see symmetric use of the arms and

the legs.

That’s what we would typically expect to see.

In a child who may be exhibiting signs or symptoms of cerebral palsy, may show us asymmetry

in their arm movements, in their hand movements, or in their leg movements.”

Cerebral palsy symptoms in babies might include: Stiff limbs or low muscle tone

Inability to use one side of the body Asymmetry, or when one side of the body moves

differently than the other side “If a child is not walking at about 12 or

18 months of age we start to investigate why could that be.

Are they still making progress toward that goal?

If we see them in clinic, we’re looking to see whether or not they’re crawling yet,

and if they’re crawling does that crawling look appropriate and symmetric with good movement

that suggests they’re going to be able to walk soon.

As a child grows, he or she might show additional symptoms of cerebral palsy such as:

Inability to hold up her head on her own Difficulty holding and using objects

Clumsiness and frequent falling Losing previously acquired skills

Toe walking Inability to sit on his own

“I think it’s important to see a team for the diagnosis of cp because lots of

things can look like cp but aren’t cp.

Medicine in its very essence is just making sure you get the right diagnosis and make

the right treatment.

And it’s very important to make sure that we’ve settled what the diagnosis is.”

Children who don’t meet certain motor milestones—or who have motor delays—should be assessed

for cerebral palsy.

This is especially true for children who have conditions such as low tone, hydrocephalus

or stroke, or who were born prematurely.

“Things that we’ll want to know about are motor milestones in particular.

How they’ve been doing with something as simple as feeding, and something as complex

as starting to crawl and walk.”

“There are many reasons for children to exhibit delays in their development.

It’s important for them to get in with their primary care provider, to have those motor

delays investigated.

And if the primary care provider feels that it’s appropriate, then to refer to a center

that can take a really good look at their child and give them some advice on how to

move forward.”

Because cerebral palsy is a collection of disorders, symptoms and effects range from

mild to severe.

“When we think about the child who has a more mild form of cerebral palsy they’re

usually still able to make progress such that they will be walking.

Some of those kids are going to walk on time, but with asymmetry or with a different walking

pattern.”

“The most common concern we hear in the Motor Delay Clinic is parents realize that

there is something that’s not right.

They need to make sense of that so we can begin to help the child.

At the end of the day, talk about diagnosis, at the end of the day parents just want to

know what’s next and where do we go from here.

Kind of , ‘What’s the game plan.”

Cerebral palsy symptoms in babies might include: stiff limbs or low muscle tone; inability to use one side of the body; or asymmetry (when one side of the body moves differently than the other side).

As a child grows, he or she might show additional symptoms of cerebral palsy such as: inability to hold up her head on her own; inability to sit on his own; difficulty holding and using objects; clumsiness and frequent falling; losing previously acquired skills; or toe walking.

Tim Feyma, MD, is a pediatric neurologist at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. It’s important to see a team for the diagnosis of CP because lots of things can look like CP but aren’t CP,” says Feyma. “It’s very important to make sure that we’ve settled what the diagnosis is.”

“There are many reasons for children to exhibit delays in their development,” says Ward. “It’s important for them to get in with their primary care provider, to have those motor delays investigated. And if the primary care provider feels that it’s appropriate, then to refer to a center that can take a really good look at their child and give them some advice on how to move forward.”

“The most common concern we hear in the Motor Delay Clinic is parents realize that there is something that’s not right,” says Feyma. “They need to make sense of that so we can begin to help the child. At the end of the day, talk about diagnosis, at the end of the day parents just want to know what’s next and where do we go from here.”