Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

It is generally not very difficult to detect the symptoms. They happen in the first three years of the child’s life. Some of the common symptoms are:

1. Difficulty in crawling, speaking or walking unlike others of the same age group.
2. The crawling is definitely unusual. So it is time to visit the doctor and seek medical opinion.
3. The baby cannot sit straight. It slouches as it is not able to control its muscles.
4. The child may not be able to perform simple functions of feeding and sucking.
5. It cannot lie straight and has difficulty in turning.
6. Either the muscles are very stiff or extremely loose. Child us unable to balance the movements.
7. As the child grows, there are problems in writing.
8. As CP advances there is problem with sense of vision and hearing and swallowing.
9. The child cannot control the bladder and bowels.
10. Movements are restricted.

As one can see from the above symptoms all are related to the brain and motor movements. The neurological condition is very week which contribute to this condition in a major way. Palsy is connected to partial paralysis of the muscles. There is a loss of sensation and no power over the body actions. A doctor will have to check the baby with many tests to know what the symptoms reveal. Since CP is a broad term it could mean one or more abnormal developments that will determine the kind of problem that is more dominant. A through series of neurological examinations needs to be done to determine what form of disorder takes place. CP is a result of many symptoms being tracked. Blood and urine tests are done to determine unborn disorders. Genetic or heredity issues may also crop up as a result of certain above symptoms. Fro example only seizures cannot be a result of CP. Motor defects are definitely a symptom of this condition. Getting to clear the symptoms will be not easy. There are not many curative ways but some mental retardation can be delayed if detected well in time.

The symptoms are diagnosed by at least by three different therapists- The physical therapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist. They check the muscles, way of walking and ability of caring for self (feeding and dexterity), speech and ability to communicate. Such children are also prone to frequent emotional stress too.