Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a set of chronic medical disorders that cause significant motor coordination and body movement issues in infants and children. The United Cerebral Palsy Foundation estimates that at least 8,000 infants are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year in the United States. Cerebral palsy symptoms in children typically arise by the time a child is 3 years old. Discuss cerebral palsy symptoms with your child's pediatrician to receive further evaluation and care.
Poor Muscle Coordination
The primary symptom associated with cerebral palsy is poor muscle coordination---a condition called ataxia. The extent of your child's disability is dependent upon what portions of your child's brain are damaged. If your child has this condition, you can notice that he has difficulty with activities that require voluntary muscle movement, such as crawling or standing. As your child gets older, he can have difficulty with fine motor control due to this condition. You can notice that he has trouble holding a crayon or pencil or cannot legibly write his name.
Abnormal Reflexes
Your child can exhibit abnormal or exaggerated reflexes due to cerebral palsy. This can cause your child to develop stiff muscles throughout her body that frequently move or twitch involuntary---a condition called spasticity. These cerebral palsy symptoms can be mild to severe in some children, but typically do not become worse over time.
Inconsistent Muscle Tone
A child with cerebral palsy can develop inconsistent muscle tone throughout his body, explain health professionals at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. If this occurs, your child's muscles can appear overly stiff and rigid (hypertonia) or excessively floppy or relaxed (hypotonia). These cerebral palsy symptoms can significantly interfere with your child's ability to sit up, walk or lift certain items, such as a fork or cup.
Irregular Walking
Poor muscle coordination due to cerebral palsy can cause certain children to walk abnormally or irregularly. You can notice that your child drags her foot or leg behind her as she walks, causing her to limp. If this occurs, it can be difficult for your child to move about normally and she may have trouble physically keeping up with children her own age.
Speech Difficulties
Cerebral palsy can cause speech difficulties to develop in some children. Your child may exhibit delayed language skills or may have trouble forming certain words or phrases. Excessive drooling or difficulty swallowing can also occur in children with cerebral palsy, which can contribute to speech problems.
