Question
My sister’s child was just born recently, but the child has been experiencing some particularly bad situations since birth. The child often becomes very stiff and then suddenly very soft all over. The doctor’s initial diagnosis suggests it might be cerebral palsy. What are the symptoms of neonatal cerebral palsy?
Answer
Cerebral palsy, also known as brain palsy, typically refers to a central nervous system motor disorder caused by non-progressive brain damage or developmental abnormalities in the brain during birth to one month post-birth due to various reasons. Its typical symptoms include abnormal posture and muscle tension, muscle weakness, involuntary movements, and ataxia. They are often accompanied by sensory, cognitive, communication, and behavioral impairments, as well as secondary skeletal muscle abnormalities and epilepsy seizures. Non-progressive central nervous system motor disorders caused by various reasons after one month of birth are sometimes referred to as acquired cerebral palsy.