Signs and Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a collection of conditions that affect mobility, balance, and posture. This article will talk about what cerebral palsy is, how it works, and how you might be able to see early symptoms and help your loved ones get help as quickly as possible.

If you have any concerns about your child’s health or development, talk to your health visitor or a GP.

Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

Problems with movement, coordination, and development issues are the most common signs of cerebral palsy. The following are examples of possible indications in a child:

  • Delays in obtaining developmental milestones 
  • Body seems stiff or floppy 
  • Arms or legs that are feeble
  • Sloppy, jerky, or fidgety motions
  • Movements that are random and uncontrolled
  • Spasms of the muscles
  • Tremors
  • Difficulty balancing

The degree of symptoms varies a lot from one youngster to the next. The bodily components that are impacted might also differ. Sometimes only one side of the body is afflicted, other times the entire body is impacted, and other times it’s just the legs.

Other Signs and Symptoms

Cerebral palsy patients can also have a variety of additional issues, such as:

  • Difficulty with eating, drooling, and swallowing
  • Seizures or fits constipation difficulty with speech and communicating (epilepsy)
  • Stomach acid seeps up into the esophagus  
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux disorder
  • Scoliosis
  • Dislocations 
  • Bladder control issues
  • Learning disabilities
  • Reduced vision, a squint, or uncontrolled eye movements 
  • Loss of hearing

Cerebral Palsy with Spasticity

Spastic CP is the most prevalent kind of CP. Approximately 80 pecent of patients with CP have spastic CP.

Muscle tone is higher in those with spastic CP. This means their muscles are tight, and their motions might be difficult as a result. Spastic quadriplegia/quadriparesis affects all four limbs, the trunk, and the face, and is the most severe type of spastic CP. Spastic quadriparesis is characterized by the inability to walk and the presence of additional developmental abnormalities such as intellectual incapacity, seizures, or visual, hearing, or speech issues.

If you have any other questions or concerns, there are other resources on our website that you can visit to learn more about how you might better be able to take care of your loved ones.