Early Signs of Cerebral Palsy in Babies: What Parents Should Know About Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

Early Signs of Cerebral Palsy in Babies: What Parents Should Know About Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

Every parent watches their baby’s first year with a mixture of awe and anticipation. Those tiny milestones—rolling over, sitting up, babbling—mark the beginning of their child’s journey. But what happens when those milestones take longer than expected or appear in unexpected ways?

Cerebral palsy, a condition affecting approximately 1 in 345 children in the U.S., reveals itself through subtle signs in a baby’s early development.

A limp hand during playtime, a rigid leg when changing diapers—these details may seem minor but do not ignore them. Early detection opens the door to therapies, tailored care, and improved outcomes for children.

For families, understanding these signs is only part of the equation. Cerebral palsy can sometimes result from avoidable medical errors. When this happens, parents have legal pathways to seek justice and secure resources to support their child’s future.

Recognizing the first signs of cerebral palsy is the first step in advocating for your child’s health and rights. Call Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Alliance at (888) 894-9067, and a local lawyer from our network will help you explore your legal options and connect you with the resources your family needs.

What Is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) describes a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and posture.

This condition results from damage or abnormal development in a baby’s brain, often occurring before or during birth. While it manifests physically, its roots are deeply tied to brain function, affecting each child uniquely.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

• Spastic CP: The most common form, affecting about 80% of children with CP. It causes stiff muscles and awkward movements. For instance, a child might walk on their toes or hold one arm tightly bent.
• Dyskinetic CP: This type results in uncontrollable movements, making it hard for children to sit or walk. Movements may appear jerky, writhing, or even random.
• Ataxic CP: Less common but equally impactful, ataxic CP affects balance and coordination. A child might stumble while walking or struggle with tasks requiring precision, like buttoning a shirt.
• Mixed CP: Some children exhibit symptoms of multiple types, such as stiff muscles combined with poor coordination.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Prenatal Causes

Some cerebral palsy cases result from factors during pregnancy. 

These include:

• Maternal Infections: Certain infections, like rubella, toxoplasmosis, and cytomegalovirus, can cross the placenta and harm the baby’s developing brain.
• Restricted Oxygen Supply (Hypoxia): If the placenta fails to deliver adequate oxygen, the brain may not develop properly. Hypoxia is one of the leading prenatal contributors to cerebral palsy.
• Brain Malformations: Sometimes, a baby’s brain doesn’t naturally form correctly due to genetic abnormalities or unknown factors.
• Failure to Diagnose Maternal Infections: If a doctor overlooks or fails to treat infections during pregnancy, the baby faces higher risks.

Perinatal Causes

The period during labor and delivery poses its own risks:

• Birth Asphyxia: When oxygen is restricted during labor due to umbilical cord issues or prolonged delivery, the risk of CP increases.
• Traumatic Birth Injuries: Misuse of delivery tools like forceps or vacuum extractors risks causing brain injuries. These injuries are preventable when medical professionals adhere to established delivery protocols.
• Premature Birth: Babies born before 37 weeks are at higher risk because their organs, including the brain, are still developing.
• Delayed Emergency Cesarean Section: When signs of fetal distress go unaddressed, delayed delivery can lead to oxygen deprivation and brain injury.

Postnatal Causes

Although less common, cerebral palsy may result from issues occurring after birth. These include:

• Untreated Jaundice: Severe jaundice, if left unmanaged, can lead to kernicterus—a condition causing irreversible brain damage.
• Infections: Meningitis and encephalitis are serious infections that can result in CP if not treated promptly.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries: Falls or accidents in infancy can also damage areas of the brain responsible for movement.

Early Signs of Cerebral Palsy in Babies

Cerebral palsy doesn’t announce itself with bold markers. Instead, it whispers through subtle signs that might seem like quirks of early development.

Developmental Delays

Each milestone in a baby’s development is like a check-in point, a signal that things are on track. But what happens when children miss those check-ins?

Here are some causes for concern:

• They struggle to hold their head steady by three to four months.
• They show difficulty rolling over by six months.
• They fail to sit up without support by eight months or walk by 18 months.

Muscle Tone Abnormalities

A baby’s muscles may feel either unusually floppy (hypotonia) or rigid and stiff (hypertonia).

These differences become noticeable during routine activities like diaper changes or when holding a baby:

• Hypotonia: Babies might feel like they slip through your hands when picked up.
• Hypertonia: Parents might notice difficulty bending or moving their baby’s arms and legs.

Persistent Infant Reflexes

Babies are born with reflexes like the Moro reflex (startle response) or grasp reflex, which fade as they grow. When these reflexes persist beyond six to 12 months, it may indicate neurological delays commonly associated with CP.

Posture and Movement Patterns

Unusual movements or postures are other common indicators.

Parents might observe:

• Favoring one hand or side of the body before 12 months (a sign of hemiplegia).
• Crawling in an asymmetrical pattern, such as dragging one side of the body.
• Fisting one hand tightly while the other remains open.

Feeding and Speech Challenges

Feeding difficulties often appear as early signs of CP due to weakened oral muscles.

Babies might:

• Have trouble latching during breastfeeding.
• Choke or gag frequently when transitioning to solid foods.

Speech delays or lack of babbling by 9-12 months may also indicate motor impairment affecting the mouth and vocal cords.

Vision and Hearing Clues

Vision or hearing issues may emerge as CP symptoms, such as:

• Strabismus (crossed eyes) or trouble tracking objects.
• Lack of response to sounds or voices by 6 months, signaling potential auditory processing difficulties.

What to Do if You Notice These Signs

Parents who notice developmental delays face a tough decision: Is this something to mention at the next check-up, or is it worth scheduling an appointment immediately?

The answer is simple—bring it up right away.

Pediatricians have many tools to assess developmental progress, such as the Denver Developmental Screening Test. This test evaluates a child’s skills in areas like motor coordination, language, and social interaction. By comparing a child’s abilities to typical developmental benchmarks, doctors can identify areas that warrant closer observation or further testing.

Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is not normally diagnosed at birth. Instead, it becomes evident over time as developmental milestones are delayed or missed. Diagnosis involves a combination of monitoring, evaluations, and tests that help pinpoint the cause of a child’s symptoms.

Routine Screenings and Initial Evaluations

Pediatricians can detect early signs of CP during routine well-baby visits. These checkups involve tracking developmental milestones and observing motor skills.

When delays or abnormalities arise, a referral to a specialist—such as a pediatric neurologist—is common.

• Developmental Checklists: Tools like the Ages and Stages Questionnaire help identify areas where a child lags.
• Physical Assessments: Doctors observe muscle tone, reflexes, and movement patterns to spot signs of CP.

Imaging and Diagnostic Tests

Once CP is suspected, imaging and lab tests provide clarity on the extent and location of brain damage:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Offers detailed brain images, which could reveal damage to areas controlling motor function.
• Computed Tomography (CT) Scans: Used less frequently but helpful in showing structural abnormalities.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG): Evaluates electrical brain activity, especially in cases involving seizures.

Doctors may also recommend genetic testing to rule out inherited disorders or metabolic conditions mimicking CP.

The Role of Developmental Specialists

Diagnosing CP requires input from a multidisciplinary team, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.

These professionals evaluate how a child interacts with their environment, uses muscles, and processes sensory input.

• Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS): Categorizes the severity of movement limitations to guide therapy.
• Bayley Scales of Infant Development: Measures cognitive, motor, and language skills to assess developmental delays.

Legal Rights for Families Affected by Cerebral Palsy

Discovering that your child has cerebral palsy (CP) raises many questions. Among them: Could your doctor have prevented it? Sometimes, the answer lies in events that occurred months—or even years—ago during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.

How Would I Know if Medical Malpractice Occurred?

Parents don’t need to know the intricacies of medical procedures to question whether negligence occurred.

Here are signs that might point to malpractice:

• A Complicated or Chaotic Delivery: If your labor and delivery involved unaddressed complications—like signs of fetal distress, delayed action during prolonged labor, or improper use of delivery tools—it could indicate that the medical team missed opportunities to prevent harm.
• Lack of Clear Communication: Were you fully informed about risks during pregnancy and delivery? Did the medical team respond promptly to warning signs? A lack of clear and timely communication can contribute to poor outcomes.
• Symptoms of Birth Asphyxia: Recall that oxygen deprivation at birth (birth asphyxia) is a major risk factor. If the medical team delayed a cesarean section despite signs of fetal distress, this could point to negligence.

Addressing the Time Gap

Cerebral palsy isn’t always diagnosed right away, which makes connecting it to past medical care more challenging. Many parents only begin to suspect malpractice after noticing delays in their child’s development.

Here’s how to revisit the past effectively:

1. Obtain Medical Records: Medical records from pregnancy, labor, and delivery are the foundation of any malpractice investigation. These documents reveal details about how care was provided, what decisions were made, and whether procedures were followed correctly.
2. Look for Warning Signs in Medical Notes: Notes about fetal heart rate abnormalities, maternal infections, or delayed medical interventions during delivery can offer clues.
3. Consult a Medical Professional: A pediatric neurologist or another healthcare provider may be able to identify signs that your child’s CP was linked to events at birth, such as brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation.

Steps to Take if You Suspect Negligence

If you believe medical errors led to your child’s cerebral palsy, you need to act quickly:

1. Consult a Lawyer: Contact us, and we will connect you with a local attorney who will evaluate your case and determine if malpractice occurred.
2. Document Ongoing Care: Keep detailed records of your child’s medical appointments, therapies, and related expenses. This information will help your attorney calculate damages.

Compensation: What Families May Recover

A malpractice lawsuit helps families recover the resources needed to support their child’s long-term care.

Potential compensation includes:

• Medical Expenses: Costs for surgeries, medications, and therapies.
• Adaptive Equipment: Expenses for wheelchairs, braces, or communication devices.
• Loss of Income: Compensation for parents who leave work to become full-time caregivers.
• Pain and Suffering: Non-economic damages recognizing the emotional toll of raising a child with CP.

Notable settlements in CP cases highlight the scope of compensation available. For example, a $10 million settlement in Pennsylvania covered lifelong care for a child whose CP was caused by a delayed cesarean section.

Legal Deadlines and State Laws

Each state imposes a statute of limitations for filing medical malpractice claims. For instance:

• In Florida, parents have two years from the date of discovery or until the child’s 8th birthday for cases involving minors (Fla. Stat. § 95.11).
• In Illinois, parents may file until the child turns 8, but no more than four years after the alleged malpractice occurred (735 ILCS 5/13-212).

Secure Your Child’s Future with the Right Support

The Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Alliance is here to help you take action. Call (888) 894-9067 today to connect with a cerebral palsy attorney who will guide you through the next steps.