Question
My child is almost one year old, and he is very good at smiling, but he can’t laugh loudly. His hands are always clenched into fists and cannot be stretched out. His thumb is always tucked in, one side of his upper limb moves awkwardly, and he cannot roll over. We’ve gone to the hospital, but there has been no improvement. What are the early symptoms of pediatric cerebral palsy?
Answer
The early symptoms of pediatric cerebral palsy include:
- Softness in the body, with a decrease in spontaneous movement. This is a sign of hypotonia and can be observed within a month. If it persists for more than four months, it can indicate severe brain damage, intellectual disability, or muscular system disease.
- Stiffness in the body, which is a symptom of hypertonic muscles and can also be observed within a month. If it persists for more than four months, it can be diagnosed as cerebral palsy.
- Lack of response and unresponsiveness, which are early signs of intellectual disability. It is generally believed that four months without response can indicate intellectual disability, as can six months without response.
- Abnormal head circumference: head circumference is an objective indicator of brain development, and children with brain damage often have abnormal head circumferences.
- Poor weight gain and weakness in breastfeeding.