in damage occurring prior to, during or just after birth can result in the condition known as "cerebral palsy." Cerebral palsy impairs the brains ability to effectively control muscles. The area of the brain damaged determines what muscles in the body are affected and to what severity. Some of the conditions known to cause cerebral palsy include: untreated infections in the mother, substance abuse during pregnancy, physical abuse during pregnancy, premature births, lack of oxygen to the fetus, breech birth and head injuries during the birth process.
Cerebral palsy in children often reveals itself enough to support a diagnosis between the ages of 12 and 24 months. During this period, children's muscles are growing and strengthening as they crawl, pull themselves up and learn to stand on their own. Children with developmental impairments are likely to lag behind to a noticeable degree during this period.
Just because a child is slow to attain a developmental milestone, doesn't mean they suffered a brain injury. Sometimes, it's just how the child is and they will develop at their own pace. Other illnesses and disorders may slow the developmental process, especially if it involved a condition that kept the child immobilized for any significant period of time, such as surgery or other prolonged illness. Some conditions such as blood clotting disorders or metabolic/degenerative disorders actually mimic symptoms of CP.
The manifestations of cerebral palsy vary greatly in terms of type and severity, so any "guide," including this one, is just that... a guide. Well-baby visits to the doctor's office are meant to be developmental screenings. Again, early signs of cerebral palsy can be difficult to detect. You are with your baby enough to know them better than anyone. Trust your instincts. Express any concerns you have and insist they be taken seriously. Below is a list of developmental delays to look for in a child 12 to 24 months of age using the six basic developmental skills key to all learning and development: gross motor, fine motor, sensory, language, social and emotional.
GROSS AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS: 1) an inability to drink from a cup, even with help 2) unable to feed themselves small finger foods such as crackers or grasp small objects with the index finger and thumb 3) unable to manipulate small objects such as blocks or rings 4) cannot sit upright without help 5) not crawling or attempting to crawl 6) not walking or walking with legs crossed (scissoring) 7) not standing alone, even momentarily 8) exhibiting stiff or shaky legs or arms 9) difficulty eating, including excessive drooling
SENSORY AND LANGUAGE SKILLS: 1) failure to mimic or attempt to mimic actions and sounds 2) unresponsive to music or body motion 3) not attempting to accomplish simple goals (such as crawling to something they want) 4) consistently distressed during baths or clothes changing 5) unresponsive to sights, sounds and touch 6) not attempting to communicate verbally
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS: 1) does not recognize or respond to family member's names 2) failure to show affection to familiar adults 3) not exhibiting anxiety around strangers 4) not lifting arms to express a desire to be picked up (or only lifting one arm).
Developmental screening and evaluation tools have been developed for use by doctors, nurses and teachers. These simple tests, which consist largely of questions for parents and simple task tests for children, take about 15 minutes and can be used to determine if a more in-depth evaluation might be required. Not all pediatricians are adequately trained in screening developmental delays. If you feel the situation warrants it, you may want to make an appointment with a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, a child neurologist, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician or locate an early intervention program that provides accredited assessment services.
If a developmental screening raises concerns, a developmental evaluation may be the next step. These advanced evaluations are conducted by educational diagnosticians, psychologists or a certified Infant-Toddler Family Specialist. The CDSA (Children's Developmental Services Agency is the primary licensing entity.
Developmental evaluations concentrate on fi
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