Symptoms & Causes of Cerebral Palsy

The symptoms of CP range from mild to severe. They also vary depending on the part of the brain that was affected. Some of the more common symptoms include:

• delays in reaching motor skill milestones, such as rolling over, sitting up alone, or crawling


• delays in speech development and difficulty speaking


• stiff muscles


• abnormal muscle tone


• a lack of muscle coordination


• tremors or involuntary movements


• excessive drooling and problems with swallowing


• difficulty walking


• favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with one hand


• neurological problems, such as seizures, intellectual disabilities, and blindness

Causes

CP is caused by an abnormality in brain development or by damage to the developing brain. The brain damage usually occurs before birth, but it can also happen during birth or the first years of life. In most cases, the exact cause of CP isn’t known. Some of the possible causes include:

• a lack of oxygen to the brain during labor and delivery


• severe jaundice in the infant


• maternal infections, such German measles and herpes simplex


• brain infections, such as encephalitis and meningitis


• bleeding into the brain


• head injuries as a result of a car accident, a fall, or child abuse

source