I knew there was something wrong with Keisha the day I left the hospital with her, even though outwardly, she appeared as any other baby.

In her first 18 months there were quite a few symptoms that I believe should have alerted the professionals but as they did not all appear at the same time, it was harder for me to convince anyone that there was something wrong. The Health Visitor insisted that I wasn't giving her enough fluids when I told her she was constipated. I remember crying down the phone telling her that she always had plenty to drink, but she simply wouldn't listen. When her feet wouldn't flatten on surfaces I was told she would grow out of it - this started from around six months and progressively worsened until only her toes touched the floor and I was still told she would grow out of it.

It was only after 18 months that I was finally told they would look into it. She had four months of physiotherapy and monitoring. It was after this I was given her diagnosis.

Babies with Cerebral Palsy are often delayed in reaching developmental milestones like rolling over, crawling, smiling or walking. Chronic constipation is also a key sign that a child may have Cerebral Palsy, especially if combined with any of the following:

I cannot over emphasize the need to keep on at your health visitor and GP if you truly believe something is wrong with your child. Often, individual symptoms may not be a sign of anything, but if there are a combination of symptoms, look out for those that could have a link and present them to your health professionals at the same time. It took 18 months for anyone to refer Keisha for tests and a further 4 months for a diagnosis. You know your child best.