Cerebral Palsy and Neurodevelopment
Do you wonder about how to support your child with cerebral palsy (CP)? Every child with CP can show a different pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Motor delays are the primary weakness that is consistent across all children with CP, although this can vary significantly too. Motor weaknesses can be related to strength, coordination, balance, posture, muscle tone (e.g., too much or too little), and fluidity of movement. Weakness can affect gross motor (e.g., walking, running, riding a bike), fine motor (e.g., holding a pencil, fastening buttons, hygiene), or oral motor skills (e.g., speech sounds, chewing, swallowing).
The brain is incredibly resilient. Some children with CP will have neuroimaging that revealed a brain injury and this helps explain neurodevelopmental differences. However, not all children with CP have abnormal brain imaging. A diagnosis of CP is made with a clinical exam, typically completed by a neurologist or physiatrist, and not neuroimaging. Children with CP learn to compensate beautifully, especially when they receive early intervention as soon as developmental delays are identified.
Because every child with CP can show a different pattern of needs, the medical diagnosis of CP alone may not be helpful for explaining your child’s unique strengths and weaknesses. Most school staff will not understand the variability in CP. Sometimes teachers and schools spend an extended amount of time trying to “figure out” how to help the child with CP.
In some cases, children with CP can show needs that extend beyond the early years. With increasing demands as they grow up, families and teachers might notice: Attention problems, difficulty with concentration (especially nonpreferred tasks), and challenges following multistep directions. They might also show elevated activity level or a tendency to do and say things impulsively. Weak ability to process visual information can also occur, and this can impact math and handwriting for some children.
It can be tricky to tease apart and prioritize the type of interventions needed. Motor delays can both overshadow strengths, but also other weaknesses. If your child is already getting speech, occupational, or physical therapies, talk with your team about what they notice. Collect as much information as possible. Your child may also need specialized academic or behavioral supports at school.
To fully understand changing strengths and weaknesses and how to prioritize interventions, your child with CP may benefit from a neuropsychological evaluation. The goals of this evaluation are to get the right kind of help in a timely manner, and to educate your school team about ways to accommodate weaknesses and build up strengths. You will also learn about ways to support your child at home.
For a free consultation, contact us to learn more about how the neuropsychological evaluation could help your child: [email protected]
Also visit the following resources to learn more:
https://pedneurocenter.com/is-your-child-with-a-medical-history-misunderstood/
https://pedneurocenter.com/how-to-find-a-qualified-neuropsychologist/
