Common Cerebral Palsy Symptoms and Conditions

What is Cerebral Palsy? A Look Into the Classifications, Symptoms and Causes

Understanding Cerebral Palsy Causes and Symptoms

Cerebral Palsy Symptoms and Conditions

Cerebral palsy symptoms vary from case to case. This condition is caused by damage to the brain that manages motor control. It can occur during pregnancy, childbirth or after the child is born. If if shows up after the child is born, it will happen no later than 3 years old. This is a permanent condition that restricts normal movement and posture.

Symptoms can range from problems with fine motor tasks such as writing. Or it can be much more serious where an individual is incapable of standing or walking. Severe cased suffer involuntary movements, such as uncontrollable motions, seizures and mental retardation.

Every case of cerebral palsy manifests trouble with skeletal and muscular development. This alters muscle strength and coordination. There are often skeletal deformities that make normal movement impossible. This typically involves spasms, inability to balance oneself, involuntary movements and facial gestures and many other problems.

Scissor walking and toe walking are common cerebral palsy symptoms. These issues with motor function can be mild or more severe. Some individuals with this condition can still function and get around, while others are rendered helpless. Depending on the location of the damage to the brain, there are some individuals with cerebral palsy that are affected by only one side of the body. If the brain's right side is damaged, then this result in the left side of the body having limited mobility issues.

Babies born with severe cerebral palsy do not have normal posture. They can be either immobile in certain parts of the body or overly movable. It depends on the severity of the condition. Symptoms may change as a child gets older. Some babies do not show symptoms immediately. For those that do not show the symptoms right away will normally show signs by nine months of age.

Other symptoms may include epilepsy and other communication disorders. Eating disorders, sensory impairments, mental retardation and sometimes behavioral disorders can be additional symptoms. A person's speech will be impaired usually sounding slurred. This is one of many of the very frustrating symptoms of this condition.

Uncontrollable shaking of the limbs on one side of the body is another common symptom. This are called hemiparetic tremors. If if is very severe, the tremors can seriously impair movement. With cerebral palsy, muscles will be very tight and well not stretch well. The muscles may actually further tighten as the disease progresses over time. It typically affects the arms. Trouble swallowing is another common symptom. Individuals with cerebral palsy that experience problems controlling their tongue and mouth motions may have problems eating and drinking. They will also have a tendency to drool.

Cerebral palsy symptoms are sometimes undetectable until the child reaches a certain age. The most common symptoms are mental disabilities, vision impairments, uncontrollable seizures, and motor problems with the mouth and tongue. This is a horrible condition that has no cure. Not much is known about the cause but there are some medications available to help individuals manage the involuntary movements.

There are new cerebral palsy treatments available. Research on this horrible disease is increasing. To learn more visit: Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy falls into three different categories namely spastic cerebral palsy, Athetotic palsy and Ataxic cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disorder that occurs when the part of the cells that makes up the part of the brain in control of muscular movements are damaged or destroyed.

The signs and symptoms of more than a single type of cerebral palsy can be seen in a mixed condition in some children. However, generally the signs and symptoms exhibited by children with cerebral palsy could be from mild to even severe. The symptoms of cerebral palsy however do not get worse as the child grows.

The signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy in children include stiffness in muscles and spasticity when the muscles become completely frozen, a walking gait that is asymmetrical with either one foot or leg, which they tend to drag. They have lack of muscle co ordination when they perform actions. Their muscles could be either too stiff or floppy and they will show signs of excessive drooling because they are unable to swallow anything even the saliva. This can be seen especially when they suck something or when they are speaking. Tremors can be seen on their body and they will find it difficult to perform simple actions like buttoning a shirt or suing a pencil or pen to write something. Though some children with cerebral palsy can show signs of mental retardation, others are very bright and intelligent. While some may need assistance to go about their daily lives there are still others who may need special care and the use of a wheel chair.

In infants who are suffering from cerebral palsy the signs are obvious from an early age itself. If parents notice that their infants are not making the milestones that infants of the same age group are making then they have to seek medical assistance to diagnose if their infant has cerebral palsy. Infants may take more time to roll over or even difficulty I controlling their heads. They may be very slow when it comes to crawling and standing or even walking. Parents need to watch for these signs in their infants and if they feel that their infant is not making any headway in walking or even crawling by the time it is 18 months old then it is obvious that their infant has cerebral palsy.

Another sign in children with cerebral palsy is seizures and abnormal movements. Seizures occur because of electrical short circuits that take place in the brain. If you happen to see a child who has difficulty in swallowing or even while speaking with their saliva drooling from their mouths then you can be sure that that the child has cerebral palsy as drooling is a sign of this disorder. Drooling happens because of the child's difficulty to control and move not only its tongue and mouth but also its throat muscles.

All these above signs and symptoms are sure indications that you child has cerebral palsy. You need to consult your physician immediately.

Melvin Kops, the author of many articles regarding health, nutrition and medicine is an expert in his field. Well qualified in medicine, Kops has been writing about various diseases, their causes and their possible cures. Having a keen interest in writing, Kops has coupled his knowledge of medicine with his flair of writing to dispense information about various diseases and cures.

Overcoming the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy Cognitive Impairment

Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by injury to the parts of the brain that control movements in the muscles. It is commonly thought that kids with cerebral palsy will also suffer from cognitive impairment or mental retardation (I hate that word). But this simply isn't true. Statistics show that only 65% of kids with CP will also suffer some form of cognitive impairment.

Cognitive impairment is caused by damage to the parts of the brain that relate to learning and not by damage to the areas of the brain that control muscle movement. Just because a child has CP doesn't automatically mean they will experience cognitive impairment of learning difficulties. Learning difficulties as a result of cerebral palsy is most common in children with spastic quadriplegia.

How CP is caused is still a bit of a mystery and many parents find themselves frustrated at the lack of answers to their questions of 'how did this happen?' I certainly did. My baby was full term, ticked all the boxes at his various pre-birth checks and yet was diagnosed with right sided hemiplegia at 4 months.

According to scientific studies, babies whose mothers are older than thirty-five years old are susceptible to this condition. Complications during pregnancy can also lead to the development of this condition. Mothers who have suffered from herpes-type viruses and German measles will have more chances of causing severe brain damage to the brains of their unborn children. Birth canal infections and the usage of hormones during pregnancy can also lead to cerebral palsy.

Alcohol and drug abuse during pregnancy can also lead to cognitive impairment. Some prescription medications can also lead to foetal damage. Difficult labour, maternal infections, and other complications during childbirth can also lead to serious conditions like brain damage and cerebral palsy.

And you know what? Sometimes you did all that you could do to avoid any of the possible causes I've mentioned and your child still has cerebral palsy. That's the way it is sometimes.

Taking care of children with cerebral palsy
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, you have to pay attention to his cognitive and emotional needs. A long-term treatment method can hone your child's potentials and give him the chance to lead a normal life. Here are some of the most common methods used for easing the symptoms of cerebral palsy.

Speech therapy can improve your child's speech problems while helping him overcome the various challenges in his speech patterns. Start improving his ability to speak by giving him a wide array of stimulating activities. Once you have improved his speech, his ability to eat may also increase as he gains a level of mastery of the muscles in the mouth.

Physical therapy is also an element in caring for children with cerebral palsy. Start developing your child's muscles and coordination at a young age. This can decrease his dependence on various mobility aids and give him the freedom to do easy tasks without your help. Early therapy can also prevent his muscles from being permanently immobile and rigid.

You can also engage your child in vision and hearing therapy sessions in order to help him overcome the symptoms of cognitive impairment. Hearing aids can give your child the chance to interact better with other people.

Sensory integration therapy is also a popular method used in caring for children with cerebral palsy. This approach can help your children reach his potentials by overcoming the problems affecting his capability to absorb and to process sensory stimuli. Aside from improving your child's cognitive condition, this natural approach can also improve their steady movement. Sensory integration therapy includes activities for stimulating the kinaesthetic sensations through tangible items. Water, textured toys, and Styrofoam are only some of the items used for this therapeutic approach.

Caring for a child with cerebral palsy is hard work and can often be frustrating if you don't see signs of improvement. But remember that your love is what your child needs the most as you face the on going challenges in overcoming the symptoms of cerebral palsy cognitive impairment.

My son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 4 months. He's 8 now and whilst life is still a struggle for us both, I sometimes think I'm the one who has a harder time coping with his CP than he does. If you'd like more information on cerebral palsy and the brain then please visit the blog I've made to share information on CP: KidsWithCerebralPalsy.com. If you are the parent of a child with CP, my thoughts are with you.

Causes, Signs, Symptoms and Treatment of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is an abnormality in moving and controlling movements; it is acquired at an early age and is caused by brain damage that makes it non-progressive. It is thought that about one in 500 children in the UK has some form of cerebral palsy.

The causes of cerebral palsy are many. It usually results from some damage to certain parts of the developing brain in infants. This damage to the brain generally occurs early in the pregnancy, when the brain is starting to form. However, it can also occur after birth or in the first few years of the life of a child. Various problems during birth, specifically inadequate oxygen, are root cause of cerebral palsy. So, it can occur before birth (prenatal), during birth or after birth (post natal).

Some of the cases of cerebral palsy are listed below;

? Infection, seizure disorder, thyroid disorder in the mother.

? Birth defects, especially those affecting the brain, spinal cord, head and lungs.

? Rh factor incompatibility, which is basically a difference in the blood between mother and the foetus that can cause brain damage in the foetus

? Certain hereditary and genetic conditions

? Premature birth

? Low birth weight (especially if less than 2 pounds at birth)

? Severe jaundice after birth

? Multiple births (twins, triplets)

There are innumerable symptoms of cerebral palsy, but unfortunately, the symptoms of this disease do not manifest in the early infancy. They begin to be obvious as the child matures. The problems and disabilities, associated with cerebral palsy, range from very mild to very severe. This range varies according to the brain damage. The symptoms may be very subtle and noticeable only to medical professionals. The symptoms include:

? Delay in controlling head, rolling over, sitting without support, crawling or walking.

? Limbs may be held in very unusual or awkward positions. For example, spastic leg muscles may cause legs to cross in a scissor-like position.

? The limb movement of the child may be abnormal, either unusually jerky or abrupt.

? Some of the children suffering from cerebral-palsy may be mentally retarded.

? About one third of the children with cerebral-palsy have seizures.

? The children might have speech problems and difficulty in speaking.

? A child with cerebral-palsy may not respond to sounds or have vision problems.

The vision problems include weakness of eye muscles. In addition to this, dental problems can also be associated with cerebral-palsy.

You need to monitor your child carefully to see if he shows any signs of cerebral-palsy, especially if he was born prematurely, had a low birth weight, or was subject to certain complications of pregnancy, labour or delivery. In case of a sign of any of the following, visit the health care provider of your child. The signs for which you need to be cautious are;

? Frequent seizures. The movements of child seem unusually jerky, abrupt and uncoordinated.

? Your child does not blink in response to loud noises by age 1 month, or turn his head towards the sound by 4 months

? Your child does not sit up unsupported by age 7 months.

? Your child does not say words by age 12 months.

? One eye of your child is turned inward or outward.

? There is some sort of abnormality in the walking style of your child.

Find more about Cerebral palsy here.

Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

It would be good to have some knowledge of the symptoms of cerebral palsy. Knowing the signs and symptoms of the disorder can ensure prompt therapy for the child with the condition. There are a couple of important facts that you should know about the symptoms of the condition.

* The symptoms are not the same for every child. There are three major types of cerebral palsy. A child's symptoms will depend on the type that he has. He could have ataxic, atethotic or spastic cerebral palsy. The last one can further be categorized into spastic diplegia, spastic hemiplegia or spastic quadriplegia depending on the limbs affected.

* In some cases, a child could have mixed symptoms from the three major categories. The symptoms of cerebral palsy could therefore include stiff muscles, floppy muscles, asymmetrical gait, drooling, tremors, seizures, uncontrolled movement, foot dragging, scissors gait, difficulty swallowing and possible hearing and sight impairment.

* Some kids with cerebral palsy may also have mental retardation. This is not however, always so. In fact many individuals with cerebral palsy have mental capacities that are normal for their age.

* The symptoms do not have a set time frame when they appear. Some children may show signs and symptoms on the first few days and weeks after birth. Those who may have milder conditions may only show symptoms after a year or more.

* The symptoms of cerebral palsy can make movement difficult. This does not mean though that those with cerebral palsy can never function on their own. Therapeutic techniques and procedures can be designed to help children with the condition achieve their full potential. Many patients who undergo appropriate treatment can live enjoyable and fulfilling lives.

* Therapeutic techniques can range from special exercises to psychotherapy. Some of the methods such as exercises can be performed with parents at home. It is important to remember however that therapeutic programs should be tailor-suited to the condition and ability of an individual. A child's particular program can be made with the combined assistance of several specialists.

* Specialists work together as a team to help treat the symptoms of cerebral palsy. A team of specialists may include occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychotherapists, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and special education teachers.

* There are guidelines to follow in the diagnosis of the disorder. Specialists may seek to rule out other possible conditions that may come with similar symptoms. Your child's doctor will also check such factors as reflexes, muscle tone, movement and visible limb deformities.

* Parents should know when to expect babies to perform motor tasks. Parents should be concerned if their baby is not able to learn to crawl, grasp, sit, stand or walk. This is especially so if the child is over one year of age. Consider seeing a specialist if you suspect that your child is extremely delayed in motor function.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy can be alarming. They do not however, spell the end of a good life for your child. Seek therapeutic assistance as soon as possible to help your child become the best that he can be.

Find out more about Cerebral Palsy Symptoms here: http://www.CerebralPalsyTherapy.Net/cerebral-palsy-symptoms.html

Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive disorder resulting from a variety of causes. It is mainly a dysfunction of tone, posture and movement secondary to brain abnormality or damage and may also be associated with additional handicaps. Onset occurs before brain growth and development are complete, that is from conception to the second birthday.

Although the disorder is lifelong, that is, it cannot be cured, it is not unchanging. Movement patterns may change during development, maturation and / or intervention by health professionals.

It is difficult to describe cerebral palsy symptoms without using clinical terms. There are several essential types of cerebral palsy, determined by the location of damage within the brain. We will describe these types now.

Spastic

The clinical features of spastic cerebral palsy are those associated with damage to the cerebral cortex and corresponding pyramidal tracts. Symptoms and motor problems include paucity of movement, increased resistance to passive movement, muscle spasm, clonus (rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles), exaggerated deep tendon reflexes and absence of change in muscle tone associated with a change in posture, for example, moving from a supine to a sitting position.

Dyskinetic

In this type, abnormalities in motor coordination affect the body as a whole. This is associated with damage to the basal ganglia and extrapyramidal tracts. It can lead to athetosis, which is an irregular writhing movement, exaggerated by active movement and disappearing or decreasing during sleep. Dystonia refers to the adoption of bizarre, purposeless posturing of the extremities of the body as a whole. Hypotonia refers to the lack or decrease in muscle tone coupled with a lack of resistance to passive movement.

Ataxic

In this form of cerebral palsy the cerebellum is the site of damage. Symptoms include incoordination and lack of balance. An intention tremor appears on active movement.

Mixed

Those people who display more than one type of cerebral palsy are said to have mixed cerebral palsy.

The majority of people with cerebral palsy have one or more of the following associated handicaps and symptoms: learning disabilities and intellectual impairment (though generally those with diskinetic cerebral palsy are less affected than those with spastic cerebral palsy); epilepsy occurs in about one third of all cases; one third of all cases have visual problems of varying degrees of severity; hearing defects affect 10% of those with cerebral palsy; speech and language problems are present in half of all cases; other problems that are frequently associated with cerebral palsy are disorders of perception, emotion, behavior and sleep.

Now read more ? see our dedicated cerebral palsy symptoms page.

Barbara Eastcairn writes about all the health issues that really matter to families and carers.

Mild Cerebral Palsy Signs - How Do You Know If Your Child Exhibits Cerebral Palsy Symptoms?

Cerebral palsy is a terrible disorder that is contracted by one in every five hundred children all over the world, however, it comes in many forms. There are many instances of mild cerebral palsy that are diagnosed, and fortunately few cases of a more severe form of the disease. However, because it is more common and less distinguishable, the mild cerebral palsy signs must be identified and followed if you plan on getting any kind of treatment or assistance. Tracking these mild cerebral palsy signs is essential, and should be done even if your doctor doesn't necessarily agree to further testing at the beginning.

The most common sign of any form of this disease in infants is a difficulty in basic physical movements, such as sitting up, walking, or stiff movements while doing more advanced athletics like walking or running. While all babies and toddlers are somewhat stiff, try to distinguish if it is because of lack of practice, or if your infant is significantly behind in their development. The first sign of possible problems is that a child develops slower than their peers.

Another common symptom of CP might occur if you notice that your child has severe difficulty in learning to speak. Slurred words, clipped sentence structure, or noises that are not part of normal speech being added to the middle of sentences might indicate that they are having difficulty forming words properly because of poor muscle tone in their jaw and mouth areas. This is what CP's primary method of attacking the body is, so watching for this is essential.

For older children, look at possible detachment from toys and social relationships. While this is normally considered a sign of possible autism or Asperger's, those are two very common problems that are often associated with this disease, and some doctors believe that cerebral palsy, particularly mild forms of the disease, may cause one or both of the others. More testing on this must be done, but it is known that more than half of all cerebral palsy patients suffer from at least one other learning disability or mental retardation.

While none of these mild cerebral palsy signs are a sure thing, a well-documented collection of dates and times when each symptom was recorded in your particular child may be the thing your doctor needs to start further testing, which is almost always covered by insurance. There is no cure for this disease, but there is a great deal of treatment that you can get simply by having these tests done, and the earlier you identify problems, the better off your children will be.

For more information on mild cerebral palsy symptoms, visit our website at http://cerebral-palsy-types.com/.

Symptoms Of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is difficult to detect at birth. Two early indicators of cerebral palsy in infants are abnormal muscle tone or the tendency to favor one side of the body over the other. If your infant seems unusually floppy or limp it could be a sign of hypotonia, meaning reduced muscle tone. If your infant seems excessively rigid or unbendable it could be a sign of hypertonia, meaning increased muscle tone.

While typically an infant is affected with either hypertonia or hypotonia, sometimes an infant will endure an early bout of hypotonia only to progress to hypertonia after a few months. Other early symptoms of cerebral palsy in infants involve poor control over mouth muscles. Excessive vomiting, gagging or other feeding problems are sometimes lead to other more advanced cerebral palsy symptoms.

It is difficult to detect cerebral palsy until children start reaching development milestones. However, specific kinds of cerebral palsy do have some early indicators. For example, statistics show 70 % of cerebral palsy cases are of a specific type of the disorder called spastic. Early symptoms of spastic cerebral palsy include the drawing in of arms and legs or difficulty in straightening an infant's limbs. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy, another type of the disorder, can cause infants to writhe involuntarily in an irregular motion.

What Developmental Milestones Should My Infant Reach at What Age?

An infant's developmental milestones should be closely monitored. While all children develop differently, any deviation from typical development charts should alert a parent to a potential problem. A visit to the doctor will help determine whether a child's developmental difficulties are a normal variation or an indicator of a developmental disorder.

Cerebral palsy symptoms typically begin to appear in 18 months, as children progress through typical developmental milestones. Infants with cerebral palsy generally show delays in mastering expected motor skills like rolling over, sitting up, smiling or crawling. Infants affected by cerebral palsy are slow to master these skills because of motor impairments. Experts believe the majority of children should reach certain developmental milestones by certain ages.

Physical Milestones

* Brings hands together - 4 months

* Sits with out support - 6 months

* Crawls - 9 months

* Feeds self with fingers - 9 months

* Hold bottle without a assistance - 12 months

* Walks unassisted - between 12-15 months

* Walks up and down stairs - 24 months

Verbal Milestones

* Localize a sound to the right or left side and turn head towards it - 1 month

* Smile spontaneously - 1 month

* Imitate speech sounds and babble - between 3 and 6 months

* Individual word comprehension - between 6 to 10 months

* Ability to say Mama and Dada - between 5-10 months.

If your infant is delayed in achieving any of these milestones you should contact a physician for further testing. While these symptoms do not mean your infant has cerebral palsy, take your child to a qualified physician for testing. The earlier an infant is diagnosed with cerebral palsy the sooner they can begin therapy for the disorder.

Jeff Rasansky is cerebral palsy attorney who practices in Dallas, TX. He has won multi-million dollar settlements for his cerebral palsy clients.

Click here to visit his website cerebral-palsy-information.com.