Early Signs That I Had Cerebral Palsy
"Your daughter will not be like other children, so don't compare her to them." That's it; those were the only words the doctor told my parents after I had spent a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) because of my premature birth at six months and weighing only two pounds. My parents, who barely understood English, did not quite understand why the doctor had said that.
The doctor was right; I would not be like other children. By the time I was two years old, in April 1990, I had not met some crucial milestones that children my age did. I did not walk, I did not talk, I could not stand, as my mother recalls. She says the only thing I could do was crawl, but even that was difficult. At the time, she was unaware, but all of those were early signs that I would have Cerebral Palsy.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, early signs an infant might have Cerebral Palsy are:
Infants younger than 6 months of age:
Cannot hold up their head when picked up from lying on their back
May feel stiff or floppy
When picked up, their legs get stiff or cross
When held, they may overextend their back and neck, constantly acting as though they are pushing away from you
Infants older than 6 months of age:
Cannot bring their hands to their mouth
Cannot roll over
Have a hard time bringing their hands together
Reach out with only one hand while holding the other in a fist
Infants older than 10 months of age
Crawl in a lopsided way, pushing with one hand and leg while dragging the opposite hand and leg
Scoot around on their buttocks or hop on their knees but do not crawl on all fours
Cannot stand even when holding onto support
This is all information that I wish my parents had had access to in Spanish at the time of my birth. Unfortunately, they did not but if you know of a parent, caregiver or family member of someone who can benefit from this information please share.
To learn more about early signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy stay tuned for the second episode of my podcast Cerebral Palsy Answers Podcast - Coming Soon!
*The purpose of my blog is purely informational. For specific medical and treatment advice, consult a qualified healthcare professional.
