Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

Cerebral Palsy is a type of brain damage than can greatly affect a child's life and development. When a brain injury occurs, it can cause Cerebral Palsy. While there can be different causes for Cerebral Palsy, many cases involve the doctor's carelessness while delivering the baby. Since it may take a while for the symptoms of cerebral palsy to show up, it is important to know what to look for, especially if your child is experiencing symptoms of cerebral palsy due to a medical professional's negligence.

Usually by six months, a parent will begin to notice that something is not quite right with their child and the signs of cerebral palsy will begin to present themselves. A baby with Cerebral Palsy will develop at a slower rate than a baby without Cerebral Palsy. However, being a slow developing infant is not always an indication of Cerebral Palsy. Other symptoms to look out for include some of the following: 

• A Limited Range of Motion
• Spasticity
• Muscle Contractions
• Seizures
• Joint Contractures

Delayed motor skill development in an infant can also be a red flag for Cerebral Palsy. A baby with cerebral palsy may show difficulty in:

• Crawling
• Walking
• Reaching
• Sitting

In addition to symptoms of cerebral palsy that were discussed, an infant with cerebral palsy will face difficulties in seeing, speaking, hearing, breathing, and/or feeding. Cerebral Palsy can be divided into three main categories: Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, Spastic Cerebral Palsy, and Ataxic Cerebral Palsy. There is also Mixed Cerebral Palsy which includes all of the symptoms that the three main types of Cerebral Palsy include. A birth trauma attorney can help if your baby is experiencing any type of cerebral palsy.