They normally become noticeable during the first 2 or 3 years of a child's life. Speak to your health visitor or a GP if you have any concerns about your child's health or development.The main symptoms of cerebral palsy are problems with movement, co-ordination and development.The severity of symptoms varies significantly from child to child.The parts of the body affected can also vary. The primary effect of Cerebral Palsy is impairment of muscle tone, gross and fine motor functions, balance, control, coordination, reflexes, and posture.
Stiff muscles with normal reflexes (rigidity) 4. Nevertheless, in clinical practice the type of cerebral palsy is defined on the basis of the predominant manifestations. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone or posture. Learn about the causes as well as the symptoms and risk factors. Epilepsy, blindness or deafness also might be present.Signs and symptoms can vary greatly. Symptoms. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect muscle movement and coordination. Speak to your health visitor or a GP if you have any concerns about your child's health or development. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. However, General Movements Assessment cannot predict the severity of cerebral palsy. There may be problems with sensation, vision, hearing, swallowing, and speaking. Slow, writhing movements 7. And muscle shortening and muscle rigidity can worsen if not treated aggressively.Brain abnormalities associated with cerebral palsy might also contribute to other neurological problems, including:It's important to get a prompt diagnosis for a movement disorder or delays in your child's development. It is a strong predictor of cerebral palsy, particularly when certain changes to the brain are seen on an MRI. Stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity) 3. The symptoms of cerebral palsy are not usually obvious just after a baby is born. See your child's doctor if you have concerns about episodes of loss of awareness of surroundings or of abnormal bodily movements, abnormal muscle tone, impaired coordination, swallowing difficulties, eye muscle imbalance or other developmental issues.Cerebral palsy is caused by an abnormality or disruption in brain development, most often before a child is born. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Lack of balance and muscle coordination (ataxia) 5. In many cases, the cause isn't known. In general, cerebral palsy causes impaired movement associated with abnormal reflexes, floppiness or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteady walking, or some combination of these.People with cerebral palsy can have problems swallowing and commonly have eye muscle imbalance, in which the eyes don't focus on the same object. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Movement and coordination problems associated with cerebral palsy include:Cerebral palsy can affect the whole body, or it might be limited primarily to one limb or one side of the body. They also might have reduced range of motion at various joints of their bodies due to muscle stiffness.Cerebral palsy's effect on function varies greatly. Factors that can lead to problems with brain development include:A number of factors are associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy.Certain infections or toxic exposures during pregnancy can significantly increase cerebral palsy risk to the baby. Some people show normal or near-normal intellect, but others have intellectual disabilities. Doctors call these “milestones.” If you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you can take these steps to keep healthy and minimize pregnancy complications:Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Cerebral palsy is a disorder that can affect the patient in a number of ways, and the type and severity of symptoms will vary depending on the extent of the brain injury sustained. Because Cerebral Palsy is a group of conditions, signs and symptoms vary from one individual to the next. All rights reserved. Signs and symptoms can vary greatly. Infections of particular concern include:Illnesses in a newborn baby that can greatly increase the risk of cerebral palsy include:While the potential contribution from each is limited, additional pregnancy or birth factors associated with increased cerebral palsy risk include:Muscle weakness, muscle spasticity and coordination problems can contribute to a number of complications either during childhood or in adulthood, including:Most cases of cerebral palsy can't be prevented, but you can lessen risks.
Sometimes only one side of the body is affected, sometimes the whole body is affected, and sometimes mainly the legs are affected.People with cerebral palsy can also have a range of other problems, including:Your doctors may refer to your or your child's condition as a particular type of cerebral palsy, based on the symptoms you or your child has.You may also hear terms such as hemiplegia or diplegia. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.
The biggest clue that your baby might have cerebral palsy is a delay in doing something most babies can do at a certain age. Some affected people can walk; others need assistance. Variations in muscle tone, such as being either too stiff or too floppy 2.