What is difference between CP and motor dyspraxia

[lorjhill]

We were told that my son has motor dyspraxia and hypotonia but when I read about mild CP the symptoms sounded the same to me.  

He had a difficult birth.  He was full term but my labor was induced with pitocin, a monitor showed that his heart stopped beating at one point during the delivery, and the doctor had trouble getting him out right away and had to use forceps.  The cord was wrapped around his neck.   One doctor wrote "possible mild birth asphyxia" on his medical records.

At 12 months my son had a 50 percent delay in gross motor skills and when we put him up against furniture he could hold on but his legs would shake like his muscles were weak.  He did not crawl.  He wasn't able to pull himself up until about 13 months.  He walked at 18 1/2 months.  

My son had six sessions with an OT who told us that he had sensory integration issues.  

He has had no other therapy for his hypotonia or low endurance.   He is homeschooled so we are able to work around handwriting and sensory issues, but he is crossing over to Boy Scouts and we know there is no way he would be able to do a 10 mile or a 20 mile hike.   They can make accommodations if we can get a doctor's statement saying what he can and can't do, but there is a long waiting list to see a developmental pediatrician.

Is there a difference between mild CP and motor dyspraxia and if so,  how can we tell which one it is?  

[fox24]

Wow! I dont know if can help or not but my son went through the same stuff. He's 12 now. He was also delayed in walking and did crawl -with his hands only. The doctors sent us a physical therapist to the house to work with him who said his Hamstrings were way to tight. When i tried to stand him -he would be "tip-toed" and scream his heart out. He finally started walking (18-19 months) but always on his toes. He also has problems with his writting skills and uses special pencils in school with a dr.s note. and now types alot of his work for school too so the teachers can read it better. After therapy for his legs the past 10 years -he's now in metal leg braces 8 hours a day -which are not helping much at all either. He has been diagnosed with Spastic Diplegic CP. I dont remember any mention of Motor Dyspraxia, what exactly is it?

[Rowena Santos, MD]

Hi,

How is your son? Dyspraxia is a term that refers to a specific disorder in the area of motor skill development. People with dyspraxia have difficulty planning and completing intended fine motor tasks. Babies with dyspraxia may avoid crawling and rolling over, and may resist tasks involving motor skills. Though not always, dyspraxia often co-exists with other learning disabilities. ( ref: http://www.ncld.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=466)

On the other hand, cerebral palsy refers to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination. It is not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves but by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control muscle movements.

I hope this helps. Take care and regards.

[stillcrazy]

I was told my brother,s cerebral palsy and epilepsi were caused by DPT and other multiple shots when he was five and just entering school.  We even have pictures of him when he was healthy before.

[langkopp]

I just went to a Developmental Pediatrician today for my daughter who is 2 1/2.  She has the same problems that your son is having and we thought that she might have a mild case of CP.  He is the last of specialist that we have seen and I am finally satisfied.  He diagnosed her today with having the motor dyspraxia.  He said it wouldn't be fair to give her a  diagnosis of  CP although they are very similar.  He said the reason why was because cognitively she was intact and her problems are with motor skills mainly gross a few with fine motor due to her gross motor skills.  They put her a year behind when it comes to where she is at for gross motor development.  She has been to a Neurologist and they did and MRI that came back clean so between that and her gross motor development this is why he diagnosed her with the motor dyspraxia instead of CP.  I hope this helps out in the answers you are looking for.