Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis

Diagnosing cerebral palsy is not always done at birth because symptoms of the condition are not always apparent. The earlier cerebral palsy is diagnosed the sooner that child can begin a form of therapy in order to better live with the symptoms associated to cerebral palsy. If a baby does not show signs of cerebral palsy at birth the parents are usually the first people to notice the signs. Certain tests exist to fully determine if cerebral palsy is present. The doctor will first complete a through physical exam and check the medical history.

There are ways of detecting cerebral palsy early on during the routine baby checks. The doctors should ask the parents about the baby’s progression with their motor skills. If the baby is showing difficulty with body movement and posture and the doctor notices there may be a problem, screening tests can be performed. There are several different screening tests for diagnosing cerebral palsy, including the Early Motor Pattern Profile, Revised Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire, and simple testing for the baby’s motor milestones.

Some tests can find a possible cause for the cerebral palsy in addition to canceling out other conditions that have signs similar to cerebral palsy. A doctor may choose to take a CT scan of the head, an MRI, or an ultrasound of the brain. If a medical mistake may have contributed to cerebral palsy a cerebral palsy lawyer can help recover damages because of it.