About Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a child’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles. CP is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a child’s ability to control his or her muscles.
The symptoms of CP vary from person to person. A person with severe CP might need to use special equipment to be able to walk, or might not be able to walk at all and might need lifelong care. A person with mild CP, on the other hand, might walk a little awkwardly, but might not need any special help. CP does not get worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person’s lifetime.
In general, Early signs of cerebral palsy include:
Developmental delays. The child is slow to reach milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking. Abnormal muscle tone. Body parts are floppy or too stiff. Abnormal posture.
Following are some other signs of possible CP. It is important to note that some children without CP also might have some of these signs.
In a Baby Younger Than 6 Months of Age
His head lags when you pick him up while he’s lying on his backHe feels stiff
He feels floppy
When held cradled in your arms, he seems to overextend his back and neck, constantly acting as if he is pushing away from you
When you pick him up, his legs get stiff and they cross or scissor
mother holding daughter
In a Baby Older Than 6 Months of Age
She doesn’t roll over in either directionShe cannot bring her hands together
She has difficulty bringing her hands to her mouth
She reaches out with only one hand while keeping the other fisted
In a Baby Older Than 10 Months of Age
He crawls in a lopsided manner, pushing off with one hand and leg while dragging the opposite hand and leg
He scoots around on his buttocks or hops on his knees, but does not crawl on all fours
In a Baby Older Than 10 Months of Age
He crawls in a lopsided manner, pushing off with one hand and leg while dragging the opposite hand and legHe scoots around on his buttocks or hops on his knees, but does not crawl on all fours