How to Diagnose Cerebral Palsy

Signs of cerebral palsy are often seen within the first 2 years of life, but sometimes as early as 2 to 3 months. When a child has mild cerebral palsy, the symptoms might not be clear enough for the doctor to diagnose until the child is older.

Instructions

• 1

  Research physical and behavioral development. Your physician needs to evaluate the child's physical development, such as motor skills, abnormal muscle tone and atypical posture. In addition, give your doctor the child's medical history and have her check for delays in behavioral development.

• 2

  Verify progress. Cerebral palsy symptoms may change as the child grows, but the symptoms don't get worse. Your physician needs to evaluate your child's symptoms to rule out any other conditions that may have symptoms that mimic cerebral palsy.

• 3

  Let your doctor perform tests. Your doctor may use a cranial ultrasound, CT scan or MRI to look at the child's brain. The cranial ultrasound is generally used when diagnosing premature, high risk babies because it is less intrusive than the other techniques. The CT scan shows the structure of the brain, and the MRI shows the brain in finer detail. These tools allow the doctor to find the areas of damage.

• 4

  Allow additional tests if needed. Sometimes a physician needs to perform more tests to rule out other conditions that closely imitate some of the symptoms of cerebral palsy.

• 5

  Speak to a specialist. Sometimes a doctor refers the family to a doctor that specializes in cerebral palsy to confirm the diagnosis. The combined experience and training of these additional doctors helps your doctor form the specialized treatment plan that is best for your baby.