Clinical Features

Patients may present with mixed types of cerebral palsy (e.g., combination of spastic and athetoid CP).

• All types

  • Patients do not reach certain milestones

  • Intellectual disability (50%)

  • Seizure disorder (35%–50%)

  • Joint contractures

  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

• ↑ Muscle tone in one or more limbs

• ↑ DTRs

• Persistence of primitive reflexes (e.g., positive Babinski sign)

• Toe walking or equinus deformity

• Muscle weakness and/or atrophy

• Scissor gait (as a result of spastic paraplegia of the hip adductors)

• Hip dislocation

• Scoliosis

• Hearing or vision impairment

• Abnormal involuntary movements that worsen with stress and disappear with sleep

  • Chorea

  • Athetosis

  • Dystonia

  • Ataxia

• Dysarthria and dysphagia

Definite hand preference before 1 year of age, suggests a one-sided muscle weakness and is a red flag for hemiplegia!