Associated Conditions of Cerebral Palsy: Breathing Difficulties
Breathing Problems
Children with cerebral palsy do not frequently have problems with their lungs as a direct result of their impairment.  However, depending upon the type of cerebral palsy they have, they may have limitations that significantly add to respiratory problems.  Difficulties in swallowing, a weak cough, reflux, and seizure can all cause a child to accidentally breathe in saliva, food, liquid, or stomach contents.

When children with cerebral palsy have something in the lungs that shouldn't be there, they do not always have the ability to cough hard enough to get rid of it.  A child with a spastic type of cerebral palsy or one having a seizure is especially vulnerable.  The muscles in the chest and throat may not be able to work together to clear the airway.

There are some possible respiratory complications.

  • blocked or obstructed airways
  • inflamation of the airways
  • diminished ability to clear secretions
  • weakened lungs
  • lung damage

Many of these potential complications greatly increase the risk of pneumonia in individuals with cerebral palsy.  “Pneumonia” is a general term that refers to an infection of the lungs.  For individuals who do not have the physical problems caused by cerebral palsy, pneumonia often begins after an upper respiratory tract infection.  Children with cerebral palsy are more likely to inhale a foreign body (such as food or drink) that introduces bacteria into the lungs.

Symptoms of pneumonia vary, depending on the age of the child and the cause of the pneumonia, but some common symptons are:

  • fever
  • chills
  • cough
  • unusually rapid breathing
  • breathing with grunting or wheezing sounds
  • labored breathing that makes a child's rib muscles retract (when muscles under the rib cage or between ribs draw inward with each breath)
  • vomiting
  • chest pain
  • abdominal pain
  • decreased activity
  • loss of appetite (in older children) or poor feeding (in infants)
  • in extreme cases, bluish or gray color of the lips and fingernails

Sometimes a child's only symptom is rapid breathing.  When the pneumonia is in the lower part of the lungs near the abdomen, there may be no breathing problems at all, but there may be fever, abdominal pain, or vomiting.

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Associated Conditions of Cerebral Palsy: Hearing, Depression, Breathing Problems,
Drooling, ADHD, ADD, Bowel issues, Swallowing, Epilepsy, Speech Problems.