When is cerebral palsy detected

In NSW, questions relating to developmental milestones are described in the Personal Health Record book Blue Book provided to families when their child is born. Cerebral palsy is a complex disability and diagnosis is not always an easy process. Doctors may suspect cerebral palsy if a baby has slow motor development, has tight or floppy muscle tone, or displays unusual postures. The General Movements Assessment can be conducted from birth until 5 months of age. It is a strong predictor of cerebral palsy, particularly when certain changes to the brain are seen on an MRI.

However, General Movements Assessment cannot predict the severity of cerebral palsy. One of the frustrations for parents is that sometimes a diagnosis can take a long time, with repeated tests and visits to specialists. This may be because the child has a mild form of cerebral palsy, but it could also be because the doctor needs to make sure it is not another type of movement disorder that may be progressive get worse over time.

For a better experience on our website, enable JavaScript in your browser. High contrast. When a child is 9 months of age, many issues involving movement can be seen easily. However, mild movement delays that were not found at the 9-month screening might be easier to see when the child is 18 months of age. By the time the child is 30 months of age, most movement delays can be found. If the results of the screening test are cause for concern, then the doctor will make referrals for:.

The goal of a developmental evaluation is to diagnose the specific type of disorder that affects a child. The doctor will try to rule out other disorders that could cause similar problems. Because many children with CP also have related developmental conditions such as intellectual disability; seizures; or vision, hearing, or speech problems, it is important to evaluate the child to find these disorders as well.

The developmental evaluation can be performed by the primary care doctor or by a specialist. Specialists who can do this type of developmental evaluation include:. In addition to the developmental evaluation, additional tests can be done to look for a cause of CP.

Specialists might suggest brain imaging tests, such as x-ray computed tomography CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging MRI. But it may not be possible to make a definitive diagnosis for several months or years, as some symptoms are not obvious until a child is a few years old.

Other tests that may be used to help confirm cerebral palsy and rule out other conditions include:. Page last reviewed: 13 February Next review due: 13 February