Cerebral Palsy – Symptoms and Causes
Overview
Cerebral palsy refers to a set of conditions that impact movement and posture. This disorder stems from brain damage that typically occurs before birth.
Signs of cerebral palsy usually appear when a child is an infant or during the preschool years. The severity of symptoms varies widely among individuals.
Children may display overly responsive reflexes or have muscles that feel floppy. Many experience stiff muscles, known as spasticity.
Other common symptoms include:
- Unusual posture
- Uncontrolled movements
- Unsteady walking
- Difficulty swallowing
- Eye focusing problems
- Limited joint movement due to muscle stiffness
How cerebral palsy affects daily life:
| Ability | Possible Impact |
|---|---|
| Walking | Some can walk independently; others need assistance |
| Thinking | May or may not affect intellectual abilities |
| Other functions | Can include epilepsy, vision, or hearing impairments |
While there is no cure, various treatments can help improve function.
An important fact to understand is that cerebral palsy itself does not worsen over time. Though symptoms may change as a child develops, the underlying condition generally remains stable throughout life.
Physical therapy, medications, and assistive devices often help people with cerebral palsy maximize their abilities and independence.
Signs and Symptoms
Physical Movement Issues
Movement problems are common in people with this brain condition. These can include:
- Stiff muscles with strong reflexes (spasticity).
- Unusual muscle tone is either too tight or too loose.
- Poor balance and coordination make movement difficult.
- Uncontrolled movements, like tremors or slow, writhing motions.
- One-sided weakness or preference when using limbs.
Walking can be particularly challenging. Some people may walk on their toes, crouch, cross their legs like scissors, or have an unsteady or wide-legged gait.
Daily tasks requiring small movements can also be hard. Buttoning shirts, using utensils, or other fine motor skills may be difficult to master.
Communication and Eating Challenges
Several issues can affect talking and eating:
- Delayed speech development
- Speaking difficulties
- Problems with sucking, chewing, or eating food
- Excessive drooling
- Swallowing difficulties
These challenges can make communication and mealtimes frustrating for both the person and their caregivers.
Developmental Differences
People with this condition might experience:
- Delays in reaching milestones like sitting up or crawling.
- Learning challenges in school.
- Intellectual disabilities that vary in severity.
- Slower growth resulted in a smaller size than expected.
Each person’s developmental path is unique, with some experiencing mild delays while others face more significant challenges.
Additional Health Concerns
Brain damage can lead to various other symptoms:
- Seizures (epilepsy)
- Hearing problems
- Vision issues, including unusual eye movements
- Sensory difficulties, including pain or trouble feeling touch
- Bladder and bowel problems like constipation or urinary accidents
- Mental health challenges affecting emotions and behavior
Some symptoms may become more or less noticeable with age. Without proper treatment, muscle problems can sometimes get worse.
When Medical Help Is Needed
Contact a healthcare provider if you notice:
- Movement abnormalities
- Developmental delays
- Episodes of lost awareness
- Unusual body movements or postures
- Swallowing difficulties
- Poor coordination
- Eye muscle imbalance
Early diagnosis and treatment can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Don’t hesitate to bring concerns to a healthcare professional’s attention.
Causes
Brain-related issues cause cerebral palsy through abnormal development or damage to a growing brain. These problems typically happen before birth, during delivery, or in early childhood. In many cases, doctors cannot identify the exact cause.
Several factors can affect brain development:
- Genetic factors that change how the brain forms.
- Infections during pregnancy that harm the unborn baby.
- Blood supply disruptions to the developing brain.
- Brain bleeding before or after birth.
- Infections in babies causing brain inflammation.
- Head injuries from accidents or physical trauma.
- Oxygen deprivation during birth (though this is less common than previously thought).
While some risk factors can be managed with good prenatal care, many causes remain unavoidable despite medical advances.
Risk Factors That Increase Cerebral Palsy Chances
Mother’s Health Concerns
Several health issues in mothers can raise the risk of cerebral palsy in babies. When a mother gets certain infections during pregnancy, the resulting inflammation may harm the baby’s developing brain.
Common infections that raise risks include cytomegalovirus, which causes flu-like symptoms and can lead to birth defects if a pregnant mother gets infected for the first time. Rubella (German measles) also poses a threat, though vaccination can prevent it.
Herpes infections can pass from mother to child, affecting the womb and placenta. Other dangerous infections include syphilis (a sexually transmitted bacterial infection), toxoplasmosis (from contaminated food or cat feces), and Zika virus (transmitted by mosquitoes).
Mothers with thyroid problems, preeclampsia, or seizure disorders face a slightly higher risk of having a child with cerebral palsy. Exposure to certain toxins, like methylmercury, during pregnancy is also concerning.
Baby’s Health Issues
Several illnesses in newborns significantly increase cerebral palsy risk:
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Bacterial meningitis | Infection causing swelling around the brain and spinal cord |
| Viral encephalitis | Similar swelling, but caused by viruses |
| Untreated jaundice | Yellowing of skin when blood byproducts aren’t properly filtered |
| Brain bleeding | Often caused by stroke in the womb or early infancy |
These conditions can directly damage the brain or its protective coverings, potentially leading to cerebral palsy.
Pregnancy and Birth Factors
Several factors during pregnancy and birth can increase cerebral palsy risk:
- Low birth weight – Babies weighing less than 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) face higher risk, with danger increasing as weight decreases.
-
Multiple births – Twins, triplets, and other multiples have greater risk due to:
- Higher chance of premature birth
- Typically lower birth weights
- Increased risk if one multiple dies before or after birth
- Premature delivery – Earlier births correlate with higher cerebral palsy risk, with very premature babies facing the greatest danger.
- Birth complications – Problems during labor and delivery may increase risk, particularly those causing oxygen deprivation.
Although each factor contributes a small amount of risk, they can together significantly raise the likelihood of developing cerebral palsy.
Complications
People with cerebral palsy face several possible complications due to muscle issues:
Physical Complications
- Joint Contractures: When muscles become extremely tight, they can shorten over time. This leads to limited range of motion, curved bones, and possible joint dislocations, including hip problems and spinal curvature.
- Bone Problems: Reduced mobility and poor nutrition can cause osteoporosis (weak bones prone to fractures). Many patients also develop osteoarthritis from joint misalignment and pressure.
Nutritional Issues
- Many individuals struggle with swallowing and eating, making proper nutrition difficult to achieve.
- Some require feeding tubes to get enough nutrients.
- Poor nutrition affects growth and development, especially in children.
Respiratory Challenges
- Swallowing difficulties may cause food or liquid to enter the lungs, leading to aspiration pneumonia.
- Heart and lung diseases occur more frequently in those with cerebral palsy.
Mental Health Concerns
- Depression is common due to social isolation and disability challenges.
- Behavioral issues may develop as individuals cope with their condition.
Additional Complications
- Chronic pain
- Sleep disorders
- Skin breakdown from limited mobility
- Digestive problems
- Dental and oral health issues
These complications vary widely among individuals. Many can be managed through proper medical care, therapy, and support systems.
Prevention
Cerebral palsy cannot always be prevented. However, several steps can reduce risk factors.
Pregnant women or those planning pregnancy should take specific preventive measures. Getting vaccinated against diseases like rubella before pregnancy can prevent infections that might lead to cerebral palsy.
Maintaining good overall health before conceiving also decreases the chance of developing harmful infections.
Regular prenatal checkups help monitor pregnancy progress and can prevent complications such as premature birth and low birth weight, which are linked to cerebral palsy.
Avoid these substances during pregnancy:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Illegal drugs
These substances have been linked to increased cerebral palsy risk and other developmental problems.
In some cases, cerebral palsy results from childhood brain injuries. Parents should focus on safety measures such as:
- Using proper car seats
- Ensuring children wear bicycle helmets
- Installing safety rails on beds
- Providing appropriate supervision
