What are some symptoms of cerebral palsy?
The symptoms of cerebral palsy will normally become apparent during the first three years of the child’s life. They may be slower in achieving important developmental goals, such as learning to crawl, walk or speak. Children with cerebral palsy also tend to have problems with their muscle tone (your unconscious ability to contract or relax muscles as needed). The child may have increased muscle tone which can make them appear stiff or rigid. This is known as hypertonia. Alternatively, they may have a decreased muscle tone which makes them appear floppy. This is known as hypotonia. In some cases, the child may experience an early period of hypotonia for the first two or three months of their life before progressing to hypertonia. Children with cerebral palsy also tend to favour one side of the body over the other, which can make their posture appear unusual.
