In some cases, cerebral palsy in infants is very difficult to detect. Increasingly, however, better medical technology is making it easier to determine whether or not an infant suffered this brain injury during the birthing process, or before, and that is welcome news for parents who have children who are affected. Of course, there is no real treatment for a brain injury, but knowing sooner, rather than later, can mean that the family is better prepared to deal with the consequences of this disorder.
Understanding the Disorder
CP occurs because of a brain injury. The most significant effects of this brain injury manifest as diminished muscle control and uneven muscle tone. In an infant, it's easier to detect the uneven muscle tone than it is the diminished coordination as all infants tend to achieve milestones of movement and coordination at their own rates. For instance, one of the characteristic symptoms of ataxic cerebral palsy is the gait. Obviously, because the infant won't be walking for a long time, other forms of detection will have to be used to identify this, and other types, of CP in an infant.