Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy And Brain Injury

According to the United Cerebral Palsy Association, 764,000 Americans have some form of cerebral palsy (CP). Many, however, remain undiagnosed, in part because the symptoms of mild cerebral palsy can be difficult to spot or may be confused with other conditions. Although between 8,000 and 10,000 infants are diagnosed every year, diagnosis does not occur until preschool age for between 1,200 to 1,500 children annually. Keep reading for a glimpse into the CP diagnosis process — and to learn why early diagnosis is so important.

Risk Factors Indicating a Need For Monitoring

Cerebral palsy often develops in response to trauma or oxygen deprivation during delivery. Babies may be monitored closely for CP symptoms after suffering difficult delivery. Other risk factors suggesting a need for further monitoring include:

  • Low birth weight
  • Premature birth
  • Maternal infections during pregnancy
  • Rh blood type incompatibility
  • Multiple babies (cerebral palsy is more common among twins, particularly if one dies during childbirth)

Developmental Monitoring

Cerebral palsy is typically not evident until the child reaches at least twelve months, although circumstances in childbirth may cause health care providers to monitor closely for developmental delays. During regular office visits, physicians observe growth and movement style. If they note any concerns during regular monitoring, they may suggest developmental screening tests.

Searching for Signs of Challenges Ahead

This process consists of brief tests administered to identify motor delays, supplemented by parent questionnaires. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developmental screening at nine, eighteen, and thirty months for all children. Concerns noted during regular physician visits can also prompt examination.

Developmental Evaluations

The child’s primary care physician or a specialist evaluates the child’s muscle tone, reflexes, posture, and motor skills. Children suspected of having CP may also be monitored for common co-existing problems, such as intellectual disabilities, speech impairments, vision impairments, or seizures.

In addition to evaluating for cerebral palsy, physicians or specialists may rule out similar disorders often confused with CP, including dopa responsive dystonia and Rett syndrome.

Why Early Diagnosis Is Challenging, But Essential

Given the importance of developmental landmarks in the diagnosis process, early diagnosis is difficult, if not impossible, in all but the most severe of cerebral palsy cases. All children develop at different rates, and motor development delays are not automatically indicative of CP. The United States Centers for Disease Control explains that, while delays may not immediately be evident in younger infants, they are typically quite easy to identify by thirty months.

The earlier cerebral palsy is identified, the sooner medical professionals can commence with targeted interventions, designed to improve motor vehicle functioning and to enhance quality of life.