Cerebral Palsy Symptoms - UK Medical Negligence Solicitors

If an infant or child experiences some type of brain damage, there are a variety of symptoms that can cause both parents and physicians alarm. Initial cerebral palsy symptoms may be noticed in the first few months following birth. Children may exhibit some or all of the following cerebral palsy symptoms:

General lethargy or a lack of interest and alertness;

Low muscle tone;

Posture that appears abnormal, such as the child favoring just one side of the body;

Irritability or fussiness that cannot otherwise be explained;

Reflexes that do not respond normally;

Seizures;

Eye fluttering;

Body twitches or trembling, especially in the arms and legs;

Staring spells;

An inability to properly feed, due to difficulty with sucking and swallowing;

A high pitched, abnormal cry.

Posture & Muscle Tone

Over the course of the first six months following birth, other cerebral palsy symptoms may also begin to appear. These cerebral palsy symptoms have more to do with posture and general muscle tone, and may include the following:

Muscle tone that changes over time, from low to tone i.e. baby going from very floppy to very stiff;

The child has a difficult time feeding and his or her tongue seems to push food out of the mouth with force;

The child often balls hands into tight fists.

Movement appears to be asymmetrical, with one side moving quite easily and freely, while the other seems stiff and rigid;

Developmental Milestones

Once the child has reached the age of six months, it should be quite evident as to whether or not motor skills and movement are normal when compared to other children. Those affected with cerebral palsy are typically slower to achieve particular developmental milestones. Simple movements, such as sitting up, crawling, rolling over, walking and talking, are delayed. Parents typically notice these delays, and other forms of atypical behavior, especially if they have had other children and know what is considered normal. In some cases, when the parents express their concerns to a health care professional, the child is automatically diagnosed with cerebral palsy. In most cases, health care professionals hold off on making such a diagnosis right away. Rather than immediately use the term cerebral palsy, many physicians prefer to use more vague medical terms such as:

Motor disabilities, which indicate a potential for long term problems with movement;

Central nervous system dysfunctions, which covers any type of brain function considered abnormal;

Static encephalopathy, indicating there is some type of abnormal static brain functioning;

Neuromotor dysfunctions, manifested as some type of delay in the development of the nervous system.

Developmental delays, which simply mean the child is developing at a slower pace than other children in movement skill areas, such as sitting up, or rolling over;

Secondary Complications

As this is a non-progressive condition, the cerebral palsy symptoms a child exhibits early on typically do not change, or worsen with time. It is possible for other secondary complications to occur, however, such as:

Epilepsy, which is a seizure disorder;

Contractures, which occurs when the muscles pull tightly on the bones causing the limbs to curl inward;

Malnutrition, which results from feeding problems stemming from an inability to suck or swallow;

Urinary incontinence;

Skin irritation, typically present on the face, lips, chin and chest area from drooling.

Dental problems, which result from excessive pain and sensitivity, as well as inability to apply proper motor skills for teeth brushing;

Medical Negligence Lawyers

If you would like free legal advice about cerebral palsy compensation claims without further obligation just use the helpline or complete the contact form or email our offices and a specialist medical negligence solicitor will speak to you to asses the viability of a potential compensation claim. We make no charge for our advice without further obligation