Diagnosis

Speak to your health visitor or a GP if you're concerned about your child's development. If needed, they can refer you to a specialist team who can carry out an assessment.

Your child may have several tests to check for cerebral palsy or other possible causes of their symptoms.

But it may not be possible to make a definitive diagnosis for several months or years, as some symptoms are not obvious until a child is a few years old.

Examination and checks

First a specialist may:

An assessment of your child's movements and learning abilities may also be carried out.

Brain scans

A brain scan may be used to look for signs of cerebral palsy.

One or more of the following scans may be recommended:

Other tests

Other tests that may be used to help confirm cerebral palsy and rule out other conditions include:

Page last reviewed: 31 May 2023
Next review due: 31 May 2026