Symptoms Of Cerebral Palsy

You have heard about cerebral palsy and you may wonder if your child has one. Firstly, before you go ahead and think that your child may have cerebral palsy, you first have to know what it is all about.

Cerebral palsy is a condition acquired from birth. Cerebral palsy is a form of brain damage where your child’s development will be affected throughout his or her life. There can be many causes of cerebral palsy and only a doctor or specialist can determine the cause of this disorder.

This condition can be manifested if the child sustains damage to their brain before, during or after birth. However, in most cases, the acquisition of brain damage is usually not determined.

One of the most common causes of cerebral palsy is before birth. This is caused by improper development of the brain while still inside the womb. Cerebral palsy is also common to premature babies because it will usually cause bleeding into the brain which can cause damage. Oxygen deprivation to the brain can also cause cerebral palsy to the unborn child.

Cerebral palsy can be seen in your child if he or she develops the following symptoms.

Your child may have cerebral palsy if he or she has difficulty in writing, or handling objects, such as scissors, toothbrush and other simple things. In severe cases, it may affect walking, or just simply standing. They will have difficulty by just maintaining balance.

Other symptoms may include involuntary movements, such as uncontrollable hand movements and drooling. They can also suffer from seizures and mental retardation.

Speech may also be affected by cerebral palsy.

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type of cerebral palsy. The symptoms will include muscle stiffness and makes it permanently contracted. There are five sub types of spastic cerebral palsy.

• Hemiplegia – affects one side of the body.
• Diplegia – Affects both arms and both legs.
• Quadriplegia – Affects all four limbs
• Monoplegia – Affects one limb
• Triplegia – Affects three limbs

If you observe that your child has difficulty with his or her motor skills, you should immediately consult your doctor or neurologist. He or she can start therapy and help the family to cope with the illness.

They can organize a series of treatments and therapy for your child in order for him or her to live a much more normal life.

If you want more information about cerebral palsy, you can visit your doctor and ask him or her about it. You can also find a lot of useful information if you ask your friends who have children that are affected with cerebral palsy. They can give you support and understanding and can really be helpful in giving you tips on how to care for your child.