If a child suffers significant brain damage prior to, during or shortly after being born, cerebral palsy (CP) may result. CP is associated with problems with muscle tone, balance and motor skills. Its earliest symptoms often are discovered by parents, who may notice unusual things about their baby's behavior. There is no sure way to diagnose cerebral palsy during infancy, but several early symptoms may be apparent.
Excessively Low or High Muscle Tone
Cerebral palsy often creates problems with a child's level of muscle tone. Hypotonia is extremely low muscle tone, which can make an infant appear overly relaxed or floppy. Hypertonia describes extremely high muscle tone, which can make an infant appear stiff and rigid. These early symptoms of CP may be present from early infancy. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), infants may switch from hypotonia to hypertonia around 2 or 3 months of age.
Delayed Achievement of Developmental Milestones
As infants mature, they develop new physical abilities at particular ages. For instance, most children smile by around 6 weeks of age, roll over by 4 months, sit independently by 5 months and crawl by around 7 months. Children with cerebral palsy tend to be delayed by several months in achieving these developmental milestones.
It should be noted that there are many reasons that a child might reach these milestones late, the most common of which is simply the great variation in how different infants develop. According to the Merck Medical Manual, CP affects only 2 to 4 out of every 1,000 children born in the United States, so developmental delays are far more commonly associated with something other than cerebral palsy. Regardless, if a child exhibits more than a month of delay for several of these milestones, parents may wish to consult a physician.
Crawling While Favoring One Side
While crawling is typically delayed for children with cerebral palsy, many children with CP have greater difficulties with controlling one side of their body than the other. For children with spastic hemiplegia, a common type of cerebral palsy, nearly all symptoms will be restricted to one side. As a result, when a child with CP does crawl, she frequently favors the affected side, using her stronger arm and leg more than the problematic limbs.
Problems With Fine Motor Tasks
Tasks that require fine motor control--for instance, picking up very small objects--are very difficult for children with cerebral palsy. For some children with CP, this difficulty is present for only one arm and hand; for others, it affects both sides.
Facial Spasms and Drooling
The motor control problems associated with cerebral palsy often extend to the face and tongue. Children will make spastic contractions of the facial muscles, producing a characteristic grimace expression. The poor control of the lips and tongue also can result in excessive drooling.
Seizures
Children who are severely affected by cerebral palsy may experience seizures, although the frequency and duration of the seizures is highly variable. Seizures during infancy are an early indicator that a child may have CP.
