Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

Most children with cerebral palsy are diagnosed by the time they reach preschool age. The symptoms which lead to a diagnosis of CP are usually evident during infancy with the majority of children with cerebral palsy diagnosed before the age of 18 months. In almost all children, the diagnosis is apparent between 6 and 12 months. This is important as the diagnosis of CP is limited to children up to 3 years of age. After 3 years of age, the child is considered to have Traumatic Brain Injury.An injury to the brain caused by an external (outside) force

Depending on the type of CP the child may have, you may see some of the following symptoms in the preschool-age child with CP:

• Stiff or rigid muscles
• Low muscle tone or loose or "floppy" muscles
• Limbs that are held in an unusual or awkward position (spastic leg muscles may cause the legs to cross in a scissor-like position)
• Clumsy or awkward voluntary movements of the arms and/or legs
• Movements that are unusually jerky or abrupt, or slow and writhing. Movements appear uncontrolled or without purpose.
• Constant involuntary movements
• Balance or coordination problems - a wide unsteady gait (manner of walking), unsteady on his/her feet and/or may fall easy
• Walking on tiptoes
• Muscle tremors
• Favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with only one hand or dragging a leg when walking
• Difficulty with precise motions such as picking up a crayon or spoon

Other associated problems you may see with a young child with CP may include:

• Excessive drooling or difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty with sucking or eating
• Delays in speech development or difficulty speaking
• Difficulty with vision and hearing
• Intellectual disabilities
• Seizures
• Abnormal touch or pain perceptions
• Urinary incontinence
• Dental problems

Terminology Used in Describing CP Characteristics

The following terms may be useful in understanding a variety of classifications or descriptions used by health professionals when describing cerebral palsy and/or the effect on a child. It is helpful to understand these terms when working with physical or occupational therapists and parents.

Abduction

Away from body proximal - close to body toward center

Adduction

Adds toward body bringing joints together

Atonic

Relating to lack of muscle tone (used interchangeably with hypotonic)

Distal

Far away

Dorsi-flexion

Foot upward

Everion

Foot turns outward

Extension

Straightening out of a joint (away from body)

External rotation

Turns away from body

Flexion

Bent or shortened

Hypertonic

Increased muscle tone

Hypotonic

Low or diminished muscle tone

Internal rotation

Turns toward the body

Inversion

Foot turns inward

Plantar flexion

Foot pointed down

Prone

Stomach

Supine

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