Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that occurs due to damage to the brain. The areas of the brain involved are the ones that are responsible for controlling movement and posture. There are different types of CP and in most cases the cause is unknown. The symptoms of CP usually show themselves within the first few years of life. The type and severity of the symptoms greatly varies from person to person and there may be other medical conditions present as well. In some cases, the condition can be mild; in others it can be disabling. Learning to recognize the signs and getting care as soon as possible for your infant will help him or her develop as fully as possible.
Delayed Motor Skills
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, infants with cerebral palsy will not be able to carry out specific tasks at the age that is normal for them to do so. The infant's development will appear delayed and he will have trouble with tasks such as rolling over, crawling, sitting and smiling. The infant might only use the hand and leg on one side of the body to crawl and just drag the other side along. The Centers for Disease Control and the March of Dimes website have a list of motor skill abnormalities present from birth to 24 months that may indicate cerebral palsy.
Decreased or Too Much Muscle Tone
If your infant has cerebral palsy there may be a lack of muscle tone. This may make your infant appear relaxed, flacid or floppy, a condition called hypotonia. This may be accompanied by hypertonia, in which the infant has too much muscle tone and is stiff or rigid. In some cases, hypotonia occurs initially and then turns into hypertonia within a few months. Your infant may also tend to favor one side of the body during tasks and have an early development of hand preference. For example, the side least affected may reach for an object while the affected hand remains in a fist.
Abnormal Reflexes
Your physician will look for tell-tale signs of abnormalities in the reflexes of your infant to help diagnose CP. According to the United Cerebral Palsy website "if a newborn baby is held on its back and tilted so the legs are above its head, the baby will automatically extend its arms in a gesture, called the Moro reflex, that looks like an embrace." They claim that this reflex tends to disappear by around six months of age. However, the reflex may not disappear in infants with cerebral palsy.
Other Signs
The March of Dimes website suggests that you see your physician if you notice that your infant is more than 2 months old and cannot control his or her head when picked up or has has stiff legs that cross or "scissor" when picked up.
