An Online Resource On Cerebral Palsy

This site is intended to provide information on the associated conditions of cerebral palsy.

Respiratory Problems

Children with cerebral palsy can have many conditions which contribute significantly to respiratory problems. Swallowing difficulties, weak cough, and seizures all contribute to the accidental inhalation of oral secretions, food, drink, and stomach contents into the lungs

Below are some possible respiratory complications:

 Blocked or obstructed airways

 Airway inflammation

 Increased mucus production

 Chemical or bacterial pneumonia

 Lung damage

 Diminished ability to clear secretions

 Weakened pulmonary defenses
 

Pneumonia is a general term that refers to an infection of the lungs.

Often pneumonia begins after an upper respiratory tract infection. However, children with cerebral palsy are more likely to inhale a foreign body (such as food or drink), introducing bacteria into the lungs.

Symptoms of pneumonia vary, depending on the age of the child and the cause of the pneumonia.

Some common symptoms include:

 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. Sometimes 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 and abdominal pain or vomiting.