Question
A colleague of mine just had a baby, and it was discovered soon after that the child has cerebral palsy. I’m also pregnant and I’m very worried. I used to think their child was very cute and healthy, but how did it suddenly become like that, like a mentally disabled child? I want to know how to get help: What are the symptoms of neonatal cerebral palsy?
Answer
The symptoms of cerebral palsy in infancy are not very obvious and many parents cannot find them. The main symptoms of neonatal cerebral palsy are mainly manifested as early signs of quietness or particularly irritability. There may be a thumb clasp, toe clasp, difficulty in feeding, inconsistent sucking and swallowing, and backward development of movement. Understanding the early manifestations of cerebral palsy can help parents discover their child’s abnormal behaviors early on and then intervene accordingly.