Patient's question:
Your friend's child suffers from cerebral palsy.Doctor's answer:
The symptoms of cerebral palsy in children include motor disorders, postural disorders, language disorders, visual and auditory disorders, growth and development disorders, dental development disorders, oral and facial dysfunction, emotional and behavioral disorders, and epilepsy.1. Motor Disorders: Children with cerebral palsy have lower motor abilities than their peers of the same age and poor self-control over movement. In mild cases, their hand and foot movements may appear slightly clumsy or uncoordinated. In severe cases, they may not be able to grasp objects with their hands or walk with their feet. Some may even be unable to roll over, sit up, stand, chew normally, or swallow properly.
2. Postural Disorders: Children with cerebral palsy often have abnormal body postures and poor stability. During movement or rest, their postures may be awkward and asymmetrical on both sides. In some severe cases, their heads may not be able to remain upright and centered like normal children but instead tend to tilt to one side or sway left and right.
3. Intellectual Disorders: Among all children with cerebral palsy, about 1/4 have normal intelligence, while mild to moderate intellectual impairment accounts for about 1/2, and severe intellectual impairment accounts for about 1/4.
4. Language Disorders: Most children with cerebral palsy may have varying degrees of language disorders. Some may have difficulty expressing themselves or forming words, while others may have unclear pronunciation or stuttering. Some may even have aphasia, where they can understand others but cannot speak themselves. This condition is more common in children with athetoid cerebral palsy.
5. Visual and Auditory Disorders: Many children with cerebral palsy have nearsightedness or strabismus, with esotropia being more common. Hearing loss is more prevalent in children with athetoid cerebral palsy. Children with cerebral palsy often have difficulty distinguishing the rhythm of sounds.
6. Growth and Development Disorders: Some mild cases of cerebral palsy may have growth and development that is or close to normal, but most children with cerebral palsy are shorter than their peers of the same age and appear to lag behind in growth and development.
7. Dental Development Disorders: Most children with cerebral palsy have poor dental development, with teeth that are loose and prone to decay. The incidence of dental diseases is higher in children with cerebral palsy than in normal children.
8. Oral and Facial Dysfunction: Some children with cerebral palsy have obvious spasm or uncoordinated contractions in their facial and tongue muscles, leading to difficulties in chewing and swallowing, poor oral closure, and drooling.
9. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Many children with cerebral palsy, especially those with athetoid cerebral palsy, tend to be stubborn and willful, with frequent emotional fluctuations and sensitivity. Some may even be isolated and unsociable. Abnormal behaviors include:
(1) Compulsive behavior: Forcing themselves to perform a certain action.
(2) Self-injurious behavior: Hitting themselves or continuously banging their heads against the wall.
(3) Aggressive behavior: Hitting others, though this is less common.
10. Epilepsy: Approximately 39%–50% of children with cerebral palsy develop epilepsy due to fixed lesions in their brains. Children with severe intellectual impairment have a particularly high incidence of epilepsy.