Peer-reviewed article

Fifteen-minute consultation:The mimics of cerebral palsy-looks like CP but isn't.

Raghavan M, Sedani S, Prasad M · 6 Aug 2026

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of childhood physical disability, affecting approximately 1 in 400 UK children. Although defined as a non-progressive neurodevelopmental disorder arising from injury to or maldevelopment of the fetal or infant brain, CP is best understood as a clinical description rather than a definitive diagnosis, and a significant proportion of children labelled with CP are subsequently found to have an alternative-and often treatable-condition. This 15-min consultation offers paediatricians a practical framework for recognising when a child's presentation may not be CP. Structured around the dominant motor pattern-spasticity, dyskinesia/dystonia, ataxia, and early encephalopathy or seizures-we review key genetic, metabolic, structural and neurodegenerative mimics, their distinguishing clinical features and initial investigations, illustrated through three clinical vignettes.