How to tell if your child has cerebral palsy!

Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage that happens before or during a baby's birth, or during the first years of a child's life.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological disorders that occur in early childhood, permanently affects the body movement, muscle coordination, and balance.

Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage that happens before or during a baby's birth, or during the inititial years of a child's life.

Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy can greatly vary among people. Symptoms include:

• Impairment of muscle tone
• Stiff muscles
• Weak muscles
• Tremors
• Poor muscle coordination
• Overactive reflexes
• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty with bodily movements
• Problems with sensation, vision, hearing, swallowing, and speaking

Also, often babies with cerebral palsy do not roll over, sit, crawl, or walk as early as other children their age.

While the symptoms may get more noticeable over the first few years of life, underlying problems do not worsen over time.

Unfortunately, there's no cure for cerebral palsy, but early intervention, treatments, and medications can improve a child's capabilities as well as help the individuals to live a long, healthy life.

Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in childhood, yet, it's still widely misunderstood.

World Cerebral Palsy Day, which falls on October 5 this year, is observed on the first Wednesday in October each year. It is a social movement and a day to celebrate and affirm the lives of the 17 million people across the world living with cerebral palsy.