Cerebral Palsy (pediatric)

[shannongilmore]

My daughter Verdayne was born normal but with low blood sugar, since her birth she has developed severe GERD with Chronic Pneumonia and has been hospitalized 50% of her life, each outbreak and hospitalization she has to be on oxygen cause she developes cyanosis and her 02 states dip low in the 80's. She came home on 4/8/087 from the children's hospital, and was assessed by early intervention program, between tests and physical assessments they made comment that they wanted her to see a neurologist because she shakes her head and legs when she is sitting almost like a parkinsons shakes. she is jerky when she moves and her right side of her neck (the muscles are extremely rigid) she hold her head to her shoulder on the right side, so she has almost a rag doll look, she always slouches on that side while sitting in her swing or car seat or lying at an angle in her bassinet (due to the gerd she has to sit upright as she is on a nasogastric tube to feed her.) I did some reading and it seems almost close to cerebral palsy but she doesn't have scissor leg or anything. when placed on her stomach she cannot lift herself up and off her chest and raise her head. she arches her back frequently and will cry out for no reason when we lift her out of her swing... has anyone experienced anything like this with their newborns and what was their diagnosis?

[zaksmum]

I have a 12month old son who has severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, he doesn't shake but he does have jerks and jumps. He also will cry out for no reason if we pick him up. Zaks jerks are an effect of him having a form of epilepsy called West syndrome, he dips his head down and to the right and his right arm comes up. These movements come in clusters of about 15 to 30 over a period of about 5 to 10 minutes. There are many different types of CP and some of what you describe does sound familiar, however I am not a neurologist, just a mum. Push the docs for an answer even if just to give you peace of mind. Good luck.