Cerebral Palsy Signs & Symptoms

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe several neurological disorders that first appear in early childhood or infancy and affect muscle coordination, body movement and posture. According to a United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation estimate, 1.5 to 2 million children and adults in the United States are affected. Symptoms range from mild to severe, depending on the type of cerebral palsy.

Spastic Symptoms

• If your child has the spastic form of cerebral palsy, you may notice that his legs tend to cross at the knees in a sort of "scissoring" type of motion. With this type of cerebral palsy, called spastic diplegia, the hip and leg muscles are tight, and the combination of tight muscles and scissoring makes walking difficult. In spastic hemiplegia, only one side of the body is affected by tight muscles. The limbs on this side of body may not develop normally, and you may notice that these limbs are not equally impacted. If the leg is particularly affected, a leg brace might be needed. Spastic quadriplegia is the most severe form of the spastic types, and, in addition to muscle problems, your child may also exhibit signs of mental retardation. Your child may have seizures and will probably find walking and talking difficult.

Ataxic Symptoms

• Fine motor skills are affected in ataxic cerebral palsy, the least diagnosed type of the disorder. In addition to having trouble with such tasks as using scissors and tying shoes, your child might walk with a wide stance and have trouble with coordination and balance. Intention tremors are common. These tremors occur when your child tries to voluntarily move his muscles, resulting in shaking of the entire leg or arm as movement occurs.

Athetoid Dyskinetic Symptoms

• Athetoid dyskinetic cerebral palsy affects the entire body. It is characterized by fluctuations in muscle tone ranging from too tight to too loose. Uncontrolled movements can also occur. It can be difficult to learn to sit and walk with this type of cerebral palsy, and your child may have problems talking, swallowing or sucking. Despite the severity of their symptoms, most people with athetoid dyskinetic cerebral palsy are of normal intelligence, according to the March of Dimes.

Erb's Palsy Symptoms

• Erb's Palsy, also called brachial plexus palsy, occurs due to an accident at birth. It affects the nerves in a baby's shoulders. When a baby suffers this type of injury, the nerves tear or stretch and are unable to function normally. Children with Erb's Palsy have no muscle control and no feeling in one or both arms.

Mixed Symptoms

• Some people have more than one form of the disorder; they may exhibit several symptoms from one or more types.

Diagnosis

• Parents often notice the first signs of cerebral palsy when their babies fail to meet normal developmental milestones, such as rolling over and sitting without assistance. Doctors evaluate children for cerebral palsy by taking a complete medical history, including the circumstances of the mother's pregnancy and the birth. Cerebral palsy is thought to occur as a result of brain damage either in the fetal stage, during birth or shortly after birth. Your doctor will evaluate your child's muscle tone and note if your child favors one hand over the other, as an early preference for one hand can indicate a problem with the muscles. A computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain may be needed to detect underdeveloped or damaged areas of the brain that may be contributing to your child's problem. An electroencephalogram (EEG), a test that records the brain's electrical currents, may be needed if your child has been having seizures.