Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis Information

Many parents of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy are given little explanation of the cause, severity or future implications of the disorder. Surprisingly, many children may not receive a cerebral palsy diagnosis until they are school age, even though there may have been circumstances at birth that indicated risk of cerebral palsy. Many pediatricians take a “wait and see” attitude when parents present issues of delayed development.
Most cerebral palsy conditions are caused by lesions on the brain. These lesions may be caused by:
Injuries that occurred during pregnancy or birth
(congenital cerebral palsy)
Injuries sustained in the months or years following birth
(acquired cerebral palsy)
While symptoms range from mild to severe, the condition does not get worse as your child gets older. Depending on the level of severity however, a child may be at risk for complications related to cerebral palsy such asdevelopmental delays, failure to thrive, joint contractures, scoliosis orseizures.

Different Types of Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Known as the most common form of cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsycauses tightness in the muscles. Patients have stiff and jerky movements and will often have difficulty letting go of something in their hand. Many children with spastic cerebral palsy rely on medications, therapies or surgical interventions to manage their spasticity and prevent secondary complications.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

Athetoid cerebral palsy (fluctuating tone) is a neurological disorder resulting in a variety of movement disorders that result in involuntary and uncontrolled movements. A child may be shaky and unsteady and may make frequent, abrupt movements. Due to the mixed muscle tone involved in athetoid cerebral palsy, a child may experience difficulty with fine motor skills and maintaining torso control.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

A less common form of cerebral palsy is ataxic cerebral palsy. Ataxic CP disturbs a child’s sense of balance and depth perception, resulting in jerky, uncoordinated movements. A child with ataxic cerebral palsy may exhibit mixed tone and experience challenges with controlled movements.