Patient's question:
My baby is a premature infant, and now he's almost ten months old. I feel that he's a bit different from other children. My friend said he's a bit like a child with cerebral palsy. I'd like to ask what are the symptoms of cerebral palsy in premature infants?Doctor's answer:
The symptoms of cerebral palsy in premature infants can be categorized into the following aspects:1. Reduced motor activity and decreased active movement. Normal children can lift their heads while in a prone position at 3 months and kick while lying on their backs, whereas children with cerebral palsy rarely exhibit such movements. Normal children can actively extend their hands to touch objects by 4 to 5 months, while children with cerebral palsy rarely show upper limb activity.
2. Abnormal muscle tone. Children with cerebral palsy may have either lower or higher muscle tone compared to normal children.
3. Abnormal posture. Children with cerebral palsy often tilt their heads, and after sitting for 6 months, they may fall and cross their legs.
4. Abnormal reflexes. Typically, a child’s head position may suddenly drop, accompanied by a reflex (such as a startle response), which usually disappears by 6 months. However, in children with cerebral palsy, this reflex does not disappear. There are also other various abnormal reflexes.