JAMA · 1952 · 50 citations · 1 references
MedicineNeurologyPediatricsChild DevelopmentNeuromuscular DisordersPediatric NeurologyCerebral PalsyDevelopmental NeurologyInfant Neurological DevelopmentMotor DisordersNeurodevelopmental DisordersPediatric Neurologic DisordersCerebral Palsy Motor DevelopmentCerebral Palsy NeurophysiologyEarly DiagnosisEtiology Of Cerebral PalsyInfancy StageMotor Control CentersMotor System NeuroanatomySensory-motor Symptoms
The diagnosis of cerebral palsy is seldom made in early infancy, despite the fact that in approximately 90% of affected children the condition is congential.<sup>1</sup>The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nature of cerebral palsy in infancy, with special emphasis on early diagnosis. Much of the information presented is general knowledge, although some observations are reported directly from our personal experiences. Cerebral palsy is a term used to designate any paralysis, weakness, incoordination, or functional aberration of the motor system resulting from a pathological condition in the motor centers of the brain. The disease may be so localized as to cause only motor symptoms. More frequently, however, the brain damage is diffuse and may also cause convulsions, mental retardation, speech defects, behavior disturbances, and sensory losses of varying degree, particularly in hearing and vision. Sometimes only one of these associated defects exists; oftener, several are in
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