Babies and toddlers with CP can experience respiratory issues if they have spasticity that affects the muscles used for breathing, or if they have oral motor dysfunction, which is where they have trouble controlling their jaw muscles, lips, mouth and tongue.

Weak muscles, spinal abnormalities and compromised posture all contribute to a reduced and less efficient lung function, which can mean that a baby or toddler with CP is more prone to respiratory conditions, such as aspiration, pneumonia, bronchiolitis and respiratory distress syndrome.

In some babies and toddlers with spasticity, aspiration can occur because food goes into the breathing pipe (trachea). The food pipe (oesophagus) and the breathing pipe meet at the gastro-oesophageal junction. This is where a ring of muscle (sphincter) opens when food or fluids are swallowed and stops food going down the windpipe, unless it isn’t working properly.

When food is inhaled, it can lead to pneumonia or other lung infections.

Babies with CP under 12 months old can be prone to bronchiolitis, which is a viral infection that affects the small breathing tubes in the lungs called bronchioles.

Respiratory distress syndrome can occur when a baby born prematurely with immature lungs or lungs lacking a substance called surfactant, has difficulty breathing.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s breathing, you should seek medical advice immediately. Breathing issues can be managed effectively with the right support, monitoring and treatment from your healthcare team.

In this section, you will find information on how to spot signs of respiratory distress in children, a respiratory checklist for children with CP, clinical papers on breathing and CP, and issues linked to respiratory illness in children with CP.