Question
A one-year-old child had jaundice at birth and was later diagnosed with increased muscle tone, with a normal brain CT scan result. The child can currently stand, roll over, and grasp objects, but does not walk on tiptoes and has normal basic development. However, there are occasional moments of staring and the thumb sometimes curls inward. Could these symptoms indicate cerebral palsy? Is further examination needed?
Answer
Common symptoms of cerebral palsy include body weakness or decreased spontaneous movement, stiffness in the body, abnormal head circumference, fixed posture, poor weight gain, weak breastfeeding, and strabismus. The treatment goal for children with cerebral palsy is to maximize their functional improvement and enhance their quality of life, while minimizing secondary joint deformities and soft tissue contractures, and delaying or avoiding surgical treatment as much as possible. Although a complete cure for cerebral palsy is challenging, post-treatment can…