Question

My sister’s child was born a month ago, and there’s a bit of a twitching phenomenon when sleeping. The brain CT was normal, but the doctor said that the child’s skin twitching and hand palm inversion resemble symptoms of cerebral palsy. I want to know, what are the common symptoms of cerebral palsy?

Answer

Cerebral palsy is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms that vary from individual to individual. However, the main lesion in cerebral palsy is concentrated in the extrapyramidal system, usually manifesting as muscle problems in the limbs and head. Here are some common symptoms of cerebral palsy:

  1. Muscle Problems in Limbs: The muscle control in cerebral palsy is impaired, leading to stiffness, weakness, or uncoordinated movements in the limbs.
  2. Uncontrollable Movements of Facial or Body Muscles: Some cerebral palsy patients may experience involuntary “worm-like” movements in the facial or body muscles.
  3. Symptoms Worsen During Tension and Excitement: When cerebral palsy patients are tense or excited, their symptoms may become more pronounced.
  4. Symptoms Improve During Calmness: When cerebral palsy patients remain calm, their symptoms may diminish.
  5. Hyperactivity During Conscious Movement: During conscious movement, such as trying to pick up an object, cerebral palsy patients may struggle to smoothly touch the item, with their upper limbs possibly lifting or extending backward, accompanied by shaking and overall uncoordinated movements.
  6. Poor Coordination of Motor Skills: Cerebral palsy patients have poor coordination of motor skills.