EDS milestones in infants Flashcards
- typical milestones - cerebral palsy presentation
What type of tongue / jaw movements are seen in infants between 12 and 18 months
Rotatory
When is cup drinking introduced
6 months
What type of tongue movements does early sucking consist of
Up and down
When should pureed solids be introduced
6 months
Up to 2 years of age, saliva and food may be lost due to …
incomplete lip closure
Describe the rooting reflex
- When the corner of a baby’s mouth is stroked, they will turn their head towards the stimulus and open the mouth with tongue thrusting to look for food source
How long does the rooting reflex last
From birth to 4-6 months
How does the rooting reflex present in infants with cerebral palsy?
- It persists after 4-6 months when it should disappear in typically developing infants
Describe the moro reflex
- a normal reflex for an infant they are startled or feel like they are falling
- the infant will have a startled look and the arms will fling out sideways with the palms up and the thumbs flexed, and may begin to cry
How long does the moro reflex last for
From birth, then gradually disappears at 3-5 months
How does the moro reflex present in babies with cerebral palsy?
it persists after six months
From 9-12 months, the tongue transfers food from where to where while chewing?
from the centre of the mouth to the sides
How early is sucking and swallowing observed
- In the womb
- can be as early as 15 weeks gestation
How does the anatomy of swallowing differ in typically developing infants to adults (3)
- infants have no teeth until roughly 6 months
- hard palate is flatter
- larynx and hyoid are higher
What are the different types of cerebral palsy?
- Spastic
- Dyskinetic
- Ataxic
- Hypotonic
- Mixed
Describe spastic CP
- most common (80%)
- increased muscle tone
- can be mild (only affect one side or one limb)
- can be severe (quadraplegic spasticity most severe with associated learning difficulties)
- caused by damage to brain’s motor cortex
Describe dyskinetic CP
- fluctuating tone
- movements can be slow and writhing OR rapid and jerky
- face and tongue can be affected making it hard to suck, swallow and talk
Describe hypotonic CP
- low muscle tone
- lack of head control, poor balance
- instability and floppy muscles can cause child to miss developmental milestones
- involuntary movements
Describe ataxic CP
- problems with balance and coordination
- may walk with their legs far apart (wide gait)
- struggle with tasks requiring coordination such as writing, reaching for things or walking
Describe mixed CP
- Mixed cerebral palsy occurs when damage is not limited to one area of the brain
- most common type of mixed CP is spastic dyskinetic
What are the early signs of CP
(list 5)
- irritability
- poor feeding
- abnormal reflexes
- abnormal muscle tone
- asymmetrical movements
True or false: CP is a progressive disorder
FALSE
it is static and will not get worse with age
List 6 possible complications of CP
- Pain
- Intellectual disability
- Hearing impairment
- Visual impairment
- Bladder/bowel problems
- Epilepsy/seizures
What would you recommend/refer if parent wanted to find out more about cause of their child’s CP?
Refer to MRI scan
