Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy always, by definition, involves problems with movement, which can manifests themselves as extreme stiffness, coordination issues, posture, etc. Below are some common movement-related symptoms associated with cerebral palsy:

• Delayed development of motor skills (i.e., walking, sitting)
• Unsteady gait
• Abormal reflexes
• Balance difficulty
• Poor coordination
• Spasticity (extreme stiffness/tightness of the muscles caused by muscle contractions)
• Difficulty with fine motor taks (i.e., writing)

The following are some symptoms that may accompany cerebral palsy, but aren't specifically related to movement:

• Seizures (affecting about half of children with cerebral palsy)
• Mental retardation (affecting about one quarter of children with cerebral palsy)
• Drooling
• Bladder control problems