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Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy in Infants

Cerebral palsy occurs when certain areas of the brain are damaged or develop abnormally. These areas are frequently the ones responsible for movement and posture, which results in the child having difficulty coordinating body movement. Causes can be head injury, chicken pox, rubella, bacterial meningitis, cytomegalovirus (similar to flu), viral encephalitis, strokes or lack of oxygen to the brain. Other causes can be if the mother has toxoplasmosis or syphilis. According to the UCSF Children's Hospital, only 10 percent to 20 percent of cases occur after the child is born. The Mayo Clinic states that it occurs in 2 to 4 out of 1,000 births in the United States and Europe. Although not usually diagnosed until after the age of 1, symptoms are present in the infant child. These symptoms are further classified into four major types of cerebral palsy.

  1. Common Signs of Cerebral Palsy

    • Infants with cerebral palsy may have hypotonia, which is when muscles have decreased tone and seem floppy. Others are more rigid in their muscle tone. The baby may experience developmental delays in walking, crawling, sitting up, rolling over or smiling. One side of the body may appear to be favored over another, almost demonstrating an abnormally early hand preference. Infants learning how to walk or crawl may drag one leg. Infants also tend to retain the Moro reflex past the normal age of six months. The Moro reflex is when a child is tipped on his back so that his legs are above his head. He will fling his arms open, as if preparing for an embrace. Occasionally they also have mental retardation.

    Spastic Cerebral Palsy

    • Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form, found in 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases, according to the UCSF. Muscles tend to be stiff and are often permanently contracted. Signs may be legs turned in at the knees, leading to difficulty learning to crawl and walk. Uncontrolled shaking or tremors may occur on one side of the body. In diplegia, it affects either both arms or both legs. In hemiplegia, limbs on one side of the body are affected, usually more in the arm than in the leg. In quadriplegia, all four limbs are affected, with more problems in the mouth. The rare monoplegia only affects one limb. The rare triplegia affects only three limbs.

    Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

    • Athetoid cerebral palsy is also known as dyskinetic cerebral palsy. This is found in about 10 percent to 20 percent of cases, according to the UCSF. An uncontrolled, slow writhing motion occurs in the muscles of hands, arms, feet, legs and face. Facial problems may include abnormal drooling or frowning and possibly difficulty feeding. The infant may have difficulty when learning to make speech sounds. He may also experience hearing loss.

    Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

    • Ataxic cerebral palsy affects only about 5 percent to 10 percent of cases, according to the UCSF. It affects coordination, depth perception and balance. Infants will have difficulty picking up and holding onto toys and food. They have difficulty maintaining balance when learning how to walk.

    Mixed Form Cerebral Palsy

    • Mixed form cerebral palsy occurs when characteristics of at least two of the forms exist. Sometimes, there are characteristics of all three.

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