Question
My child is three days old and spent a day in the incubator at the maternal and child health care hospital. The doctor said there might be a brain problem. What symptoms are associated with neonatal cerebral palsy? How should the examination be conducted?
Answer
Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive syndrome of brain damage, primarily characterized by central motor impairment, muscle tone abnormalities, posture and reflex abnormalities. It may be accompanied by epilepsy, intellectual disability, language disorders, visual and auditory impairments. Brain CT scans can show brain atrophy, periventricular white matter softening, multiple cerebral softening, and multicystic softening, and may also be accompanied by congenital brain malformations such as brain perforation, atypical hyperplasia of the translucent septum, cysts, and ventricular dilation. CT scans help explore the etiology of cerebral palsy.