Question
A child who will be four years old is not fond of using his left hand. When climbing stairs with his left foot, he lacks strength, walks with an unsteady gait, and while running, he only swings his right hand. His left hand often remains clenched at his abdomen without movement. Could these symptoms indicate cerebral palsy?
Answer
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are diverse, including but not limited to muscle stiffness, involuntary movements, and ataxia. Specifically, spastic presentations involve stiffness in the limbs; dyskinetic types involve involuntary movements in the limbs, head, and feet, particularly evident during intentional movements, such as facial expressions like squinting or difficulty with speaking and swallowing, often accompanied by drooling; ataxic types are characterized by weakness in the limb muscles, inability to maintain body balance, an unsteady gait, and incomplete fine motor actions in fingers and nose. Ataxia alone is relatively rare and is often associated with involuntary movements of the hands and feet.