Caused by a brain injury or abnormal brain development, cerebral palsy (CP) can occur during fetal growth, before, during or right after birth.
Depending on the type and severity of the damage, signs of cerebral palsy in newborns include brain injuries or malformation effects such as:
- Floppy limbs
- Muscle spasms
- Stiff muscles
- Poor muscle control, reflexes and posture
- Trouble sucking, feeding or swallowing
- Favouring one side of their body over the other
Before diagnosing cerebral palsy, doctors will look for health problems in newborns during examinations and testing (including MRI or CT scans). They’ll pay close attention to the baby’s behaviour, posture, muscle tone (whether muscles are too relaxed or too stiff) and his or her voluntary movements.
Signs of cerebral palsy are not always immediately clear at birth, but may emerge as the infant continues to develop. Cerebral palsy is a complex condition and might take some time to properly diagnose.
Need legal advice on cerebral palsy?
When birth injuries such as cerebral palsy happen as a result of a doctor’s mistake or negligence in treatment or diagnosis, compensation can assist with medical and rehabilitation costs for your child, ensuring they have a bright future ahead.
