What does this consist of? Emma has her weight check today and her doctor has put in the referral for the OT. She is also ordering an evaluation for CP by the OT and possibly a PT. She thinks that emma's stiffness maybe be related to thsat and that she may have a mild form of it. emma's stiffness issues are getting worse as well. I haven't researched much, but I am curious what goes into the evaluation and what they are looking for. Thanks in advance and sorry for all the questions!

I am so glad you went to the doctor. The stiffness in Emma's upper and lower extremities really concerned me. Given your description of Emma's tightness, it is imperative that you also have a PT evaluation. If Emma has CP, she may need orthotics or adaptive equipment that a physical therapist would provide. Some CP patients also benefit from Botox injections to help loosen tightened muscles. Emma's muscle tightness may just need range of motion exercises to help stretch her out. There is no way to know until you have the evaluations. I would also recommend an evaluation from a developmental pediatrician if you can find one in your area. Most of our micro preemies who are delayed with skills follow-up with developmental pediatricians who can look at all areas of development and make the proper referrals.

To answer your question about CP:

Cerebral palsy results from damage to certain parts of the developing brain.

This damage can occur early in pregnancy (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=33915) when the brain is just starting to form, during the birth process as the child passes through the birth canal, or after birth in the first few years of life.
In many cases, the exact cause of the brain damage is never known..