Cerebral Palsy: Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of cerebral palsy usually begin to appear in young children before three years of age. Prior to making a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, doctors will thoroughly examine you and your child's medical histories as well as perform some basic tests on the child. There are treatment options for children who are diagnosed with cerebral palsy even though there is not yet a cure. The following are some quick facts on cerebral palsy symptoms and diagnosis:

SYMPTOMS

Developmental delay – Infants with cerebral palsy are often slow to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk.
Abnormal muscle tone – Affected children may have hypotonia, or decreased muscle tone, which results in flaccid or relaxed muscles. They may also have hypertonia, or increased muscle tone, resulting in stiff or rigid muscles.
Unusual posture – An affected child may tend to favor one side of the body.
Early development of hand preference – Babies don't usually develop hand preference during the first year of their life. A child with cerebral palsy, however, may develop an early hand preference if one side of the body is stronger than the other.

DIAGNOSIS

Test reflexes – Certain reflexes disappear in a child over time. An affected child may retain these reflexes for abnormally long periods of time.
Check for hand preference – If a child has an early tendency to prefer either the right or left hand, this may help a doctor make a diagnosis of cerebral palsy.
Rule out other disorders that can cause movement problems – Other medical conditions may lead to the loss of motor skills, including genetic diseases, muscle diseases, metabolism disorders, or tumors in the nervous system. These conditions are progressive, meaning the child will continuously lose motor skills. If the child's condition is not getting worse, this may help confirm a cerebral palsy diagnosis.
Perform CT scan, MRI, and/or ultrasonography – These tests can reveal underdeveloped brain areas, abnormal cysts, or other physical problems that can cause cerebral palsy.
Look for other conditions linked to cerebral palsy – Doctors may also look for seizure disorders, mental impairment, and vision or hearing problems to help determine if a child has cerebral palsy.

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