Question
My baby is four and a half months old and cannot cross her arms. When I hold her against my chest, if I intentionally pull her hands together, there is resistance from her shoulder and elbow joints, and she cries. Is there a problem?
Answer
It is certain that she has high muscle tone, but whether it is cerebral palsy cannot be determined now as she is still young. You need to take her to a pediatric neurorehabilitation department for a comprehensive checkup to see if there are any abnormal reflexes, thumb adduction, stiff feet, external rotation of the upper and lower limbs, etc. If necessary, a brain CT scan may also be required. Even if there are abnormalities, it cannot be definitively diagnosed as cerebral palsy; it can only be said that there is a central coordination disorder. The golden period for rehabilitation treatment is before six months of age, so it is important to get an early checkup and diagnosis.