Signs and symptoms may be mild to severe and will vary depending on the type of cerebral palsy (CP) a child has. Generally, the patient will have problems coordinating muscle and body movements and posture. Children with severe cases of CP may also have other problems such as seizures and mental retardation.

Early symptoms of the disorder may include:

• Difficulty feeding or coordinating sucking and swallowing actions.
  
  
• Developmental delays. Parents or caregivers typically notice that infants appear to progress less rapidly than other children, exhibiting developmental delays. Most newborns can roll over by 4 or 5 months, sit without support by 6 months and walk by 14 months. A pediatrician can determine if children are reaching standard milestones for motor skill development.
  
  
• Poor or stiff muscle tone. The baby’s head may flop over or the entire body may be flaccid or relaxed, which is an indication of lack of control over body muscles. The child may also appear rigid or stiff. In some cases, the infant may be floppy for the first two to three months followed by a period of stiffness. Some children will show signs of favoring one side of the body over another, always using the right or left hand and dragging the opposite limb.

Some children born with CP may appear normal at birth. The motor skills and muscle control problems associated with the disorder may not become evident until the child is toddler age. However, signs that a child has CP usually appear by 18 months of age.

As the child gets older, physical disabilities tend to become more obvious. These include:

• Dragging one or both feet
  
• Walking on the toes
  
• Crouching while walking
  
• A scissor-like gait