{"id":8614,"date":"2019-08-01T12:17:01","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T12:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=8614"},"modified":"2021-06-17T18:14:08","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T18:14:08","slug":"15-most-common-symptoms-of-cerebral-palsy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/15-most-common-symptoms-of-cerebral-palsy\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Common Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Cerebral palsy is a congenital condition affecting the developing brain of an infant in the womb. The damage occurs before birth, with CP affecting the cerebellum, the region of the brain in charge of motor skills, movement, and balance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children born with cerebral palsy may only start to exhibit symptoms after the first year of birth. Parents of kids with CP need to face the challenge of raising a child with disabilities, as the condition can cause paralysis, as well as problems with movement, reflexes, and poor posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kids with cerebral palsy require physical and occupational therapy to help them integrate into society and overcome the limitations of their condition. The effect of cerebral palsy on functional capabilities vary significantly, with some children experience complete paralysis from the waist down, while others can walk \u2013 but may experience problems with posture and movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early identification of the condition helps to reduce the impact of the situation on the child. Here are the eight most common symptoms of cerebral palsy.
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1.    Difficulty Swallowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dysphagia <\/a>describes a medical condition where the patient has difficulty with swallowing. The cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for motor movements. As a result, kids with CP may find that they struggle with eating, and may choke on their food.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due to the dangerous nature of this symptom, parents need to be very careful when feeding the child, especially during the first two years as the child learns how to communicate with caregivers. Parents should ensure that the child swallows each bite or mouthful before giving them another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dysphagia is not always a permanent condition in kids with CP, and the symptoms may come and go. However, parents need to be aware of the disorder and pay careful attention to the baby during every feeding session. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oropharyngeal dysphagia occurs due to weakening of the muscles and nerves found in the throat. The disorder makes it challenging to swallow food without choking or gagging.
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2.    Uncoordinated Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Healthy individuals hardly ever experience any issues with the nervous system and mobility<\/a>, and we tend to take our seamless movements for granted.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children who are suffering from the effects of CP lack the necessary motor skill coordination to allow for smooth movements. As a result, the child may experience problems with posture and range of motion in the joints, leading to the development of dysfunctional gait when walking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ataxia describes a medical condition where the patient experiences a disruption in the communication between the nervous system and the brain. As a result, patients find they develop unsteady and jerking movements when trying to walk or move around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This situation makes it challenging for the affected child to complete regular activities during the day. Children may also find it challenging to learn how to button up their shirt or write, as CP affects the development and use of fine motor movements as well.
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3.    Spasticity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Children who are dealing with the effects of cerebral palsy<\/a> may start to experience involuntary muscle spasms, even if they are not exercising. These spasms can cause severe pain in the affected muscle, resulting in a temporary loss of mobility. This symptom of CP, known as \u201cspasticity,\u201d occurs due to disruption in the signals coming from the cerebellum to the muscular system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with CP find that the condition typically occurs most frequently in the legs, and they may require regular massage sessions to ensure that the muscles remain limber and supple. However, when spasms strike, they can induce severe pain symptoms for a few minutes, up to a few hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to research from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the condition may have some benefit for CP patients that have weak leg muscles. The spams increase the rigidity of the legs, making it easier to walk for some children. Doctors may treat spasticity with medications to relax the muscular and nervous systems.
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4.    Tremors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with the effects of cerebral palsy may find that they start to experience erratic tremors <\/a>from time to time. The intensity of the tremors varies from person to person, depending on the extent of the palsy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medical community describes a tremor as un uncontrollable and unintentional movement of the limbs. Tremors may affect one muscle group or multiple muscle groups, and the condition may last for minutes or hours, depending on the person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, tremors are not a severe concern for CP patients, with most passing in a few minutes after the patient practices some medication or breathing exercises.  Some patients with severe tremors may require the use of muscle relaxants to prevent spasms and reduce the severity of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tremors occur as twitches in muscles or under the surface of the skin. Action tremors occur when the patient moves while resting tremors occur with no contributing motion.
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5.    Drooling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not uncommon for infants to drool, especially when they are sleeping or eating. In most cases, this is not a cause for alarm in parents, as baby\u2019s do this all the time. However, infants <\/a>that are dealing with cerebral palsy may drool more often than healthy kids. Unfortunately, this is not the best sign for concluding that the child is suffering from CP, and many parents may overlook the symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cerebral palsy affects the cerebellum, the region of the brain responsible for motor skills, such as controlling the muscles of the face, as well as swallowing. As a result of cerebral palsy, affected individuals may drool more frequently than other babies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drooling may also stay with the child as they grow, all the way into adulthood. While drooling is not a life-threatening symptom, it can be embarrassing for children to deal with, especially as they reach adolescence and start high school.
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6.    Seizures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The damage to the cerebellum that leads to the development of cerebral palsy in unborn children may have life-threatening effects. Depending on the severity of the injury, the child may experience disruption of the nerve entering and leaving the brain through the central nervous system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of disruption caused by CP may result in the child developing tremors or spasticity that affects the muscular system. However, in severe cases, some patients may start to experience the onset of seizures. Seizures have the potential to be a life-threatening event, as the patient may swallow their tongue and choke to death during the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors take a preventative approach to resolving seizures, providing the child with medication to prevent them from occurring. However, some parents may disagree with giving their child drugs at such a young age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research into CBD oil shows that it has a nervine effect on the CNS, reducing the occurrence of seizures in children with CP.
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7.    Blindness <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cerebral palsy is a congenital condition, meaning that it occurs as the fetus is developing inside the womb. The parents and doctor may be entirely unaware of the unborn baby\u2019s blindness<\/a>, with symptoms only showing up around a year after birth, as the child starts to develop verbal and motor skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CP affects the development of the nervous system, resulting in a slew of unwanted developmental effects during pregnancy, and after the birth of the child. One of the less common complications of cerebral palsy is blindness. Cerebral palsy may interfere with the development of the ocular nerve, resulting in partial or complete blindness in the child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, doctors and parents can diagnose the blindness a few days after birth, as the child does not respond to visual cues. Unfortunately, this condition is irreversible, and the child will have to receive treatment to learn to cope with their situation throughout their life.
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8.    Intellectual Disability <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most concerning symptoms related to the development of cerebral palsy<\/a> is its effects on the brain. Children with CP may experience learning disabilities as a result of their condition, causing them to fall behind in their schoolwork.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children who are suffering from CP require special needs schooling to help them progress with their education. However, CP does not mean that all children afflicted by the condition will experience learning disabilities. Some kids may have no cognitive issues at all, while others are severely affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, kids with CP a lack of brain function within the healthy range of both adaptive and intellectual functioning. As a result, the child may find that they learn concepts slower than other kids, and struggle to retain new information presented to them in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children with CP that struggle with their schooling require a steady support system to help them cope with the effects of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Speech Disability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who are suffering from the effects of cerebral palsy may notice that they start to develop a speech disability<\/a>. The patient may begin to stammer or stutter their words and have trouble forming complete sentences when speaking to other people. The cerebellum is responsible for maintaining speech and other subtle motor movements of the tongue and mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the failure of the cerebellum, the patient may start to develop these speech problems. In many cases, the patient requires the assistance of a licensed speech therapist to help them overcome the effects of the disorder. Some people may see improvement in their expression through the use of the speech therapist. However, many people may never be able to overcome their speech problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient may develop permanent stutter in their speech. They may also have trouble with forming words, causing them to pause in the middle of a sentence as they try to mouth the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Difficulty with Eating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The cerebellum is the region of the brain responsible for producing and managing fine motor skills throughout the body.\u00a0As a result, patients who are suffering from the effects of cerebral palsy may find\u00a0they struggle with simple tasks such as eating. The muscles <\/a>controlling the jaw rely on nerve impulses emanating from the cerebellum through a complex web of nerves originating from the brainstem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cerebral palsy results in damage to this network of nerves and disruption to nerve signals leaving this region of the brain entering the jaw. As a result, the patient may find that they are eating in without an issue, only to discover that they suddenly cannot close their mouth correctly or swallow normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some patients that have severe problems with eating may require the use of an occupational therapist to help them overcome this issue. In most cases, the use of an occupational therapist can significantly assist the patient with learning to manage their fine motor skills produced by the cerebellum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Changes in Gait<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As discussed people who are suffering from the effects of cerebral palsy may experience problems with fine motor skills<\/a>. This region of the brain is also responsible for tasks such as walking and gait when standing. People who are dealing with the effects of cerebral palsy may find that they start to experience trouble when walking. They may have difficulty with walking on their toes, as well as issues with a crouched gait or a scissor-like gait.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These changes can become permanent over time when the person does not receive the necessary treatment from a physiotherapist, to manage their physical posture. Unfortunately, our posture is set by repetitive movements that we repeat dozens of times throughout the day. This postural inefficiency creates a habit with a person who may find it very challenging to adjust gait once they develop bad postural habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your child is born with cerebral palsy, you must enroll them in a physiotherapy program as soon as possible. This strategy helps with managing the effects of the condition and preventing the onset of changes in gait and walking posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Favoring One Side<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who are dealing with the effects of cerebral palsy may also notice that they tend to favor one side of the body. This symptom becomes apparent when you watch a person who is affected by the condition in a standing position. The person made lean towards one side or develop a lump on one side of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children in develop postural disorders and issues with their gait <\/a>when young, may find that they start to reach for items with one hand only,\u00a0or drag a leg when crawling on the floor. Parents should watch out for these signs of cerebral palsy in their children. If they notice any of these symptoms start to occur, they should arrange physiotherapy sessions for the child as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, it may be possible to recover the full function of the body through the use of physiotherapy sessions. However, the success of the treatment depends on early diagnosis and treatment of the issue with the child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Athetosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Athetosis <\/a>is a movement dysfunction. It\u2019s characterized by involuntary writhing movements. These movements may be continuous, slow, and rolling. They may also make maintaining a symmetrical and stable posture difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With athetosis, the same regions of the body are repeatedly affected. These typically include the hands, arms, and feet. The neck, face, tongue, and trunk can be involved, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While athetosis may be continuous, it can get worse with attempts to control movement. For example, if a person with the condition tries to type on a computer keyboard, they may have extreme difficulty controlling where their fingers land and how long they remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning about the symptoms of athetosis and what causes it can help you better understand if the condition is affecting you or someone you love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of athetosis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs and symptoms of athetosis include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

slow, involuntary, writhing muscle movements<\/p>\n\n\n\n

random and unpredictable changes in muscle movement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

worsening symptoms with attempts at controlled movement<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Difficulty with Hearing or Vision<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This condition describes a movement dysfunction that’s common in children with cerebral palsy. The disorder produces involuntary movements of the limbs of the body. These dysfunctional movements are often slow, rolling, and continuous in the individual. The movements may also make a symmetrical and stable posture <\/a>almost impossible for the child to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children who are dealing with the onset of athetosis may find that the same regions of the body experience repeated problems with movement. Unfortunately, the symptoms of instable movement may also become worse with attempts to control them. For example, if a person dealing with the disorder tries to type on a computer keyboard, they may experience tremendous difficulty controlling the movement of their fingers and how long the fingers remain on the keys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children who are experiencing the effects of this disorder require treatment through an occupational therapist to help them overcome the effects of athetosis on their movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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15. Mental Health Conditions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Children who are dealing with the effects of cerebral palsy may also start to exhibit signs of mental health disorders. As the disease continues to degrade the cerebellum<\/a>, the child may have problems with learning and movement. As a result of the children in their class may start to ridicule them for their issues. Children are highly sensitive to their surroundings. As a result of ridicule by their peers, they may begin to develop antisocial behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research shows that children require integration into a social group before they are 4-years old. Failure to integrate into the social group before this stage of development may result in changes in the child’s psyche. Research shows that children who become antisocial at the age of 4-years old are highly likely to develop mental health disorders later in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depression, low self-esteem, and a neurotic personality or some of the mental health conditions facing children who develop cerebral palsy. If your child has CP, it’s best to place them in an environment where they have support from others.<\/p>\n\n\n

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