late diagnosis of CP - Cerebral Palsy Message Board

aesser · 05-25-2001, 08:14 AM

I am 20 and was diagnosed with possible mild CP when I was 13, after having a CT scan. The doctor said he saw a "white spot" on my brain. I was very late in developing my motor skills as a baby. My sign language is not very clear (I am also deaf). One of my eyes is turned in. I have balance problems and had to be taught to stop my falls as a child, although this was always attributed to my deafness. I was also diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 18, after having two seizures as a result of sleep-deprivation. I have some difficulty with fine motor skills such as fingerspellling, buttoning up shirts and pants, writing, and so on, but I can do all these things. My head is almost always tilted to the side, and I arched my back a lot as a baby. I was diagnosed as gifted in the first grade, however, so this has obviously not affected my cognition. I do have an identical twin, who has none of the problems described above. Has anybody else experienced a very late diagnosis??? Does this sound like CP to you or was the doctor mistaken??

blackbelt · 06-21-2001, 10:20 PM

I am 24 and I have mild cp that affects my right side. I was diagnosed at age 9. My neurologist said that my CT scan showed damage to both sides of my brain. He was suprised that I didn't have any learning problems. I made mostly good grades in all of my classes in my school and college career. I was fairly late to develop motor skills. I have taken one sign language class. It was hard for me to process what was being signed. . My right eye used to go out. It was corrected by surgery. I believe that I would be blind in that eye if it wasn't corrected.
I still really don't know how to stop my falls. I have trouble balancing on stairs without handrails, and on uneven surfaces like hills and gravel. I have difficulties with zippers, buttoning, writing, typing, cutting with scissors, etc., but I do them. It took me lots of practice to learn how. I tilt my head. I also have gait abnormalities. I don't walk heel-toe with my right foot. I walk sort of flat footed and sort of scoot my right foot. My right knee and ankle go inward. I wear a leg brace to control these issues. I may have a tight heel cord in my right side. My right leg is much skinnier than my left. My right leg is longer than my left. I have scoliosis. I have flat feet. I hold my right arm funny when I am off balance. I can't swing my right arm much when I walk. I can't ride a bike or roller skate.
Your condition could very well be cp. Some of the balance issues may be related to the deafness. I have a really good friend who is deaf and I think she has some balance issues. Sometimes cp and deafness occur together. Sometimes cp and mental retardation are
together. Cp can occur with other conditions as well.
There are twins at the school where I teach. One twin has cp, mental retardation and seizures. The other twin has no disabilites at all. Sometimes that happens with twins.
Get a second opinion if you are in doubt.

Blackbelt