Please or to access all these features

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

mild cerebal palsy or developmental delay??????????????

43 replies

kathylee0 · 20/04/2003 15:52

hi 1st time on this web site,been reading a few messages and i notice a few of you with kids that have cp.i'd like to tell you about my ds and our predicament-
in pregnancy it was picked up that ds had pilmanary stenosis(sticky heat valves)and slight swelling of the heart-which is normally a sign of downs.i had an amnio and numerous other tests,but they could not find anything wrong,this left doctors puzzled!.at 6 months old gosh told me his heart was functioning normally and to take him home and forget about it,which we did and his heart is now fine(just a very slight murmer).
at 7 months old at his 7-9 month check hv noticed a stiffness in his legs when doing the clicky hip test.we were referred and told he may have cp.he had an mri scan,and at 14 months old we were told he does have mild cp.
then out of the blue a few months later we got a letter from gosh saying the had viewed ds scan films(2nd opinion)and they thought them to be normal-confused?-we were.
ds development as follows;
still not sitting without support until 11 months.
did not bear any weight on legs until 14 mths.
if supported at 16months could take small steps,but we had to tap the back of each leg,as if to prompt him what to do next.
did not learn to turn without falling in sitting position until 18.
at 19 months he learnt to bum shuffle.
he is now 23 months and can take steps if you hold his hand,but he has no balance,and cannont stand without support.
he has never crawled, in fact he still cannot roll over, and is unable to pull to stand.
his legs are very strong and he can move them in any way he wants.
i do sometimes notice tight abnormal muscle tone in his inner thighs,especially when tired or very upset.
his peadiatrician thinks it is unlikely,that he has cp,and thinks he has developmental delay-i could have told him that!
he has phisio every week and they seem to think he has a problem with confidence-but i am not so sure.
god!!i hope i havent sent you to sleep!!
has anyone had any similar experiences with mild cp-what do you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks, i feel much better just for getting this down.

OP posts:
lou33 · 22/04/2003 22:14

It's hard not to isn't it mabs?

SueW · 22/04/2003 22:24

Guilt is something you have to live with or discard IMO.

DD doesn't have either of the conditions covered in this thread and the aetiology of her condition remains unknown. However some people have suggested that it may be caused by problems with the vagus nerve and since her prolonged presentation at birth may have caused damage to the vagus nerve (through something else I have read) I have gone through periods of guilt.

I've moved on from there now though. I can't change what happened - I can only do the best of my ability now. There's no proof that x caused y so beating myself up about it would prob inhibit my ability to get on with life - both hers and mine - now.

Just my experience.

Jimjams · 22/04/2003 22:28

I do think guilt goes with SEN kiddies. I feel guilty for not providing some sort of therapy for 24 hours a day. You know the thing "if only I did this, if only I followed that method, if only I spent this massive amount of money....maybe I'll give this a go" I do really believe though that it's just an extra burden that you don't need. It is hard to come to terms with though isn't it? my labour with ds1 was dodgy and so I do wonder what he'd be like if I hadn't let them induce me. The advantage I guess of having lots of possibilities is that there isn't any particular event to beat yourself up about.

mieow · 22/04/2003 22:51

Lou33, my cousin was born at term after a 14 minute labour, she has spastic diplegia CP. Ds was born by C/S at 36 weeks as he was breech and I had gone into labour and DD1 was a 31 weeker born after a 2 hour labour. DS' damage happened in utero too, but DD1 was after deliverly. I think that you shouldn't blame yourself, I don't!!

tamum · 22/04/2003 22:53

Jimjams, you sound like a fab mother, don't feel guilty about what you're providing! I gather from other threads that you're a geneticist- have you seen the latest Nature Genetics? A couple of X linked genes involved in synaptogenesis that have been found to be mutated in several families with autism, but interestingly the same mutation in sibs one with autism and the other with Aspergers. (Don't know if you believe in any kind of genetic link, just thought you might be interested)

lou33 · 22/04/2003 23:45

You're a geneticist?! Oh boy I could dig out about a hundred questions for you regarding my family! Maybe we should have a new section called ask Jimjams!

Jimjams · 23/04/2003 07:59

Interesting. I don't pay that much attention to journals these days- so thanks for telling me about that. Certainly think there's a genetic component- and it seems to take several forms. In my highly unscientific sample of friends I've noticed that Asperger's type problems seem to be highly heritable. People with lots of Asperger's kids in the family always weem to have a Great -Uncle Derek was a bit odd and collected model trains or whatever There also seems to be another type where there is no autism as such in the family but there is lots of autoimmune conditions- dibetes, gout, MS (this is my husband's family I'm describing). These kids seem to slide into autism- they seem to get pushed into it by a series of hits. The genetic element is there - but seems to be a bit different.

I don't know any really severe Kanner's type chldren- they culd tell a different story. It's so diverse I'm sure there are many causes. I'll try and track down that article though so thanks for that. Particularly interesting as the work I used to do kind of touched on synapotgenesis ( I was Jack of all trades master of none).

Don't get too excited Lou - I was in mouse genetics No seriously if you have any questions ask away and i'll see if I can track down an answer. I would quite like to become a genetic counsellor, but it would mean working for the NHS and there are very few courses,- and none near here- best one seems to be at imperial College so I'm training to become a homeopath instead. I do have a few human genetics type books though so I can look stuff up.

MABS · 23/04/2003 08:08

no wonder you always seem so well informed Jimjams. I always feel that you have a very 'healthy' attitude when you post. I'm a bit erratic - sometimes positive and other times not

tamum · 23/04/2003 10:57

I'll happily get the article for you if youlike jimjams. You were in mouse genetics??? I must know you, or people you know, at least. Ooo, I'm all curious now. I'm more human genetics now, but did my PhD at Harwell.
Let me know if you'd like the paper, anyway.

Jimjams · 23/04/2003 13:31

MABS- I'm not sure about healthy. Just had my MIL staying for a week and thought I was going to explode! Apart from refusing to believe there is anything wrong with ds1 (I'm too negative apparently) she does come out with the most annoying comments like telling dh he needed to get to bed and have a good sleep as he's the breadwinner!!!! Aggghhhh Dh said he thought my head was going to pop off- he said he's never seen me leave the room so quickly.

OMG tamum- yes I do know some Harwell people. Not so many as my lab was big into cytogenetics. My supervisor's dad was a big big man at Harwell though. I was not a natural PhD student though so dread to think what would be said about me. (PhD was biggest mistake of my life!!!!). Would love to see article though.

tamum · 23/04/2003 15:44

Heehee, I think I can guess who your supervisor was then Jimjams! (did the surname begin with S?- I'm not at all sure about the etiquette of naming names and stuff on here). How should I get the paper to you, can I get your email address from the techie people, or is there another way to do it?
Completely sympathise about MILs, mine's here now, just glad that the children are no longer babies so I don't have to listen to "are you feeding him AGAIN?" "changing his nappy again so soon?" (yes, what do you suggest, leave him in a pooey nappy because I've already changed it once today???). However, that's so trivial compared with not believing there's anything wrong with your ds though, that must be really hard to listen to, and as for the comment about your husband, well!!!!

MABS · 23/04/2003 15:45

Jimjams - do we have the same MIL ?

Jimjams · 23/04/2003 15:55

Tamum- Yes yes name did begin with an S!!!! Do you know him? I think I was his worst ever student! Did you know his ex student who worked at Harwell for a while (initials CE)? I was quite friendly with her although we lost touch a few years ago.

I think you can send me your email address via tech then I can contact you.

tamum · 23/04/2003 16:02

Blimey, what a small world jimjams! CE did a postdoc in my lab (joint with another Harwell ex), but left a couple of years ago, and I haven't seen her since. I guess I should just apologise for taking over this thread with gossip! I'll get my email address to you.

Jimjams · 23/04/2003 16:08

Not in Edinburgh? I visted CE there to be taught a technique (that's how I got to know her). Very small word. I last heard from her shortly after she'd got engaged. I think we both moved around the same time and lost touch.

tamum · 23/04/2003 16:14

Yup, in Edinburgh!!! She was mostly in a lab across town to start with and then did a second postdoc that was joint with me and JW. Which lab did you visit? I don't think there was any technique she did in my lab that would have warranted anyone travelling to learn! She's married now, and working for a finance company of some sort having done an MBA in her spare time. Now here's the REALLY small world bit- she went to school with me, but several years below, and we only realised when she started in my lab. Amazing really. I still haven't worked out who you are though; I didn't know your supervisor, though I saw him a few times, but he was the only son-of-a-geneticist I could think of who is also a geneticist. I'm sure you weren't really his worst ever student!!

Jimjams · 23/04/2003 16:33

She taught me how to culture oocytes without hyperovulating the mice. I don't think she was still using the technique, but had done for her PhD. I can't remember the name of the lab (that's awful- but half the time I can't remember the title of my PhD-lol) I can picture it really well though. Brown brick.

Really glad CE got her MBA - she was doing that when I met her. It seemed like a lot of work on top of a postdoc.

Oh I doubt you'll know me- I've well and truly left academia. Found a job I loved whilst writing up (teaching in a tutorial college) and stayed doing that until I had ds1 when I worked (very) part time until moving to Devon last year. I know one paper has been published and I've told Dr S to help himself to my work. I don't think I've given him my new address though - so I may have my name on a few more publications.

I'm fairly sure I was his worst student ever I don't think I was interested enough in Robertsonian fusions (not really a clue as we all worked on those), not in a mouse context anyway. I should have done something human. I was always more interested on their effect on human fertility. I was actually very interested in autism at the time and always thought I should have done some sort of PhD on that (now there's irony for you). In fact when I began to think that ds1 was showing signs, I initially dismissed it thinking I was seeing things that weren't there as I'd always been interested in it.

johannanico · 04/09/2010 15:54

Hi Everyone,

I am new to Mumsnet so not sure if this is the right board... My question is this- my son (13 months) has either a mild form of cerebral palsy or is developmentally delayed (no firm diagnosis yet). I have heard that cranial osteopathy can be really helpful with this but my neurologist said not to bother and that it wouldn't be worth it. Have any of you had experience with this form of treatment for CP and/or developmental delays?
Thanks!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page