Signs and Symptoms
Early signs and symptoms associated to cerebral palsy are muscle tone, reflex and postural abnormalities, delayed motor development, and atypical motor performance (United Cerebral Palsy, 2006).
Tone Abnormalities
Hypertonicity, hypotonicity, and fluctuating tone are common tone abnormalities. There is often impairment in maintaining proper resistance and managing antagonistic muscle groups. The movement of tonicity is from hypotonic to hypertonic or fluctuating tone. Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, children may continue to demonstrate hypotonia with age.
Reflex Abnormalities
Signs of upper motor neuron lesions include:
Enhanced stretch reflex-reflex contraction in response to longitudinal stretching,
Hyperreflexia- overactive or overresponsive reflexes,
Clonus- rapid alternate voluntary muscle contraction and relaxation.
Alongside abnormal tone, primitive reflexes and and a delay in the acquisition of righting and equilibrium reactions join. The child may also demonstrate hypotonicity and an absence of primitive reflexes.
Atypical Posture
The child presents atypical positions at rest and uncontrollable postures during movement as a result of primitive reflexes and abnormal tone. In hypertonic children, the lower extremities in a supine position appear adducted, internally rotated, and the ankles plantar flexed. Children with hypotonicity will demonstrate an abducted posture, flexed, and externally rotated.
Delayed Motor Development
Children with cerebral palsy demonstrate delays in milestone motor attainment. The inability of a child to sit independently at researched developmental stages alert clinicians of a possible disorder. Significant milestones of gross motor function include: rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, and balancing.
Atypical Motor Performance
Depending on the severity and type of cerebral palsy, a child may show asymmetrical hand use, abnormal gait and crawling, uncoordination of movement and difficulties sucking, chewing, and swallowing.
Tone Abnormalities
Hypertonicity, hypotonicity, and fluctuating tone are common tone abnormalities. There is often impairment in maintaining proper resistance and managing antagonistic muscle groups. The movement of tonicity is from hypotonic to hypertonic or fluctuating tone. Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, children may continue to demonstrate hypotonia with age.
Reflex Abnormalities
Signs of upper motor neuron lesions include:
Enhanced stretch reflex-reflex contraction in response to longitudinal stretching,
Hyperreflexia- overactive or overresponsive reflexes,
Clonus- rapid alternate voluntary muscle contraction and relaxation.
Alongside abnormal tone, primitive reflexes and and a delay in the acquisition of righting and equilibrium reactions join. The child may also demonstrate hypotonicity and an absence of primitive reflexes.
Atypical Posture
The child presents atypical positions at rest and uncontrollable postures during movement as a result of primitive reflexes and abnormal tone. In hypertonic children, the lower extremities in a supine position appear adducted, internally rotated, and the ankles plantar flexed. Children with hypotonicity will demonstrate an abducted posture, flexed, and externally rotated.
Delayed Motor Development
Children with cerebral palsy demonstrate delays in milestone motor attainment. The inability of a child to sit independently at researched developmental stages alert clinicians of a possible disorder. Significant milestones of gross motor function include: rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, and balancing.
Atypical Motor Performance
Depending on the severity and type of cerebral palsy, a child may show asymmetrical hand use, abnormal gait and crawling, uncoordination of movement and difficulties sucking, chewing, and swallowing.