19/09/2025
Cerebral palsy symptoms
The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from person to person and range from mild to severe. Some people with cerebral palsy may have difficulty walking and sitting. Other people with cerebral palsy can have trouble grasping objects.
The effects of the condition can become more or less obvious or limiting as a child grows and develops motor skills. They also vary depending on the part of the brain that was affected.
Some of the more common symptoms include:
• delays in reaching motor skill milestones, such as rolling over, sitting up alone, or crawling
• difficulty walking
• variations in muscle tone, such as being too floppy or too stiff
• spasticity, or stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes
• ataxia, or a lack of muscle coordination
• tremors or involuntary movements
• delays in speech development and difficulty speaking
• excessive drooling and problems with swallowing
• favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with one hand
• neurological issues, such as seizures, intellectual disabilities, and blindness
Most children with cerebral palsy are born with it, but some may not show signs of it until months or years later. Symptoms usually appear within a few months of birthTrusted Source, according to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Causes of cerebral palsy
In most cases, the exact cause of cerebral palsy is unknown.
Atypical brain development or injury to the developing brain can cause cerebral palsy. The damage affects the part of the brain that controls body movement, coordination, and posture. This brain damage usually occurs before birth, but it can also happen during birth or the first years of life.
Other possible causes include:
• head injuries as a result of a car accident, fall, or child abuse
• intracranial hemorrhage, or bleeding into the brain
• brain infections, such as encephalitis and meningitis
• infections acquired in the womb, such as German measles (rubella) and herpes simplex
• asphyxia neonatorum, or a lack of oxygen to the brain during labor and delivery
• gene mutations that result in atypical brain development
• severe jaundice in the infant
Contact a doctor right away if you think your child may have cerebral palsy. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important.
Role of Rehabilitation Medicine for Cerebral Palsy
CP child treatment
A variety of therapies play an important role in treating cerebral palsy:
• Physical therapy. Muscle training and exercises can help your child's strength, flexibility, balance, motor development and mobility. ...
• Occupational therapy. ...
• Speech and language therapy. ...
• Recreational therapy.
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