Is Your Child Missing Developmental Milestones? Take Action Now.

Depending on the severity and type of cerebral palsy, it can be very difficult to detect cerebral palsy in infants and young children. Signs can manifest anytime after birth into toddlerhood. Because children naturally develop at different rates, signs of cerebral palsy can be dismissed as normal. Doctors must screen children carefully to detect the disorder signs.

To help doctors detect cerebral palsy, they use certain tests when screening for the condition which are designed to measure the child’s development. Some of the most used screening tools include the Early Motor Pattern Profile (EMPP), the Revised-Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (R-DPDQ) and testing for motor milestones.

A Closer Look at Cerebral Palsy Screening Tools

While there is not one specific test that can confirm the presence of cerebral palsy, different tools are used to rule out other possible causes for symptoms. For example, parents complete the R-DPDQ form where they assess their child’s developmental advances. Alternatively, an EMPP can be administered for children under the age of one to test their muscle tone, reflect and body movement issues. Checking for motor milestones is another common and simple way doctors screen for cerebral palsy. This is when they compare the child’s development and abilities against established developmental normals.

Because physical damage to the brain causes cerebral palsy, doctors look for signs of deterioration in babies using imaging tests such as an ultrasound, computed tomography scan (CT scan), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These images sometime reveal damage, leading to a correct diagnosis of cerebral palsy but not all cases are visible. Some patients suffering from mild cerebral palsy without visible damage.