Patient's question:
A friend's child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.Doctor's answer:
1. Electrophysiological Examination:① Electroencephalogram (EEG): Approximately 80% of children with cerebral palsy exhibit abnormal brain waves, with a higher incidence of abnormalities in hemiplegia. It is also possible for the EEG to be normal, or it may show abnormal background activity accompanied by epileptic discharges, in which case attention should be paid to the possibility of concurrent epilepsy.
② Brain Electrical Activity Mapping (BEAM): Detects pediatric brain development and brain wave changes.
③ Brain Magnetoencephalography;
④ Evoked Potentials; Visual impairment or hearing loss may require visual evoked potential and auditory evoked potential tests, respectively.
⑤ Electromyography; To assess the functional state of muscles and nerves. This test should be performed as much as possible in children with cerebral palsy who also have muscle atrophy.
⑥ Brain Impedance Hemodynamic Graph (REG): To examine the function of head blood vessels and blood supply.
2. Head CT and MRI: 1/2 to 2/3 of children may show abnormalities, but normal results do not rule out the diagnosis of this condition. Most children with cerebral palsy may be found to have brain atrophy, external hydrocephalus, cerebral softening, or porencephalic malformations.