Cerebral palsy is a term that is used to describe several disorders that affect the muscles of the body. The Merck Medical Manual states that, at most, four out of every 1,000 children are affected by cerebral palsy. The cause of cerebral palsy is some type of trauma to the brain, either during birth or shortly afterward. This condition can affect one or several parts of the body. Although the symptoms may worsen for the body part affected, the areas affected never spread. Even though it is impossible to diagnose cerebral palsy in early infancy, parents can watch for some warning signs.
Overly Floppy or Tense Muscle Tone
The symptom of varying muscle tone is one of the most common in infants with cerebral palsy. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that most babies who suffer from cerebral palsy will have noticeable change from floppy to rigid muscle tone. This only affects a specific part of the body each time, as well.
One-Sided Crawling
Babies with cerebral palsy have a harder time learning to crawl. When they finally are able to crawl, they may have a problem crawling correctly. They may favor one side to another or may have to drag one leg behind them. This is because cerebral palsy causes spastic hemiplagia, which affects one half of the body.
Milestone Delays
Most pediatricians give parents a milestone chart, or a list of skills that should be reached at a certain age. Infants are expected to acquire certain motor skills by a certain month. These milestones are abilities such as reaching out to someone or picking up a small toy. One sign that an infant is suffering from cerebral palsy is that these milestones aren’t reached until several months after the normal time.
Seizures
Because cerebral palsy is a type of brain damage, some children who are afflicted with the disease experience seizures. A seizure is a sudden halt in electrical activity in the brain and is most commonly associated with tremors. However, some seizures can be as simple as a child staring off into space. Although seizures are a symptom of cerebral palsy, one must remember that seizures can be the result of other ailments.
Difficulties Developing Motor Skills
A child who has cerebral palsy will have a hard time developing motor skills. This can refer to picking things up or learning to crawl. Some babies naturally take longer to develop certain skills, but children with cerebral palsy have a much harder time and may not develop these skills at all. Kids Health states that some children may never be able to walk or talk at all.
