Any parent or
caregiver of a child with cerebral palsy knows how hard it gets when trying to
meet the needs of such children. Though this may be a difficult task to them,
they know that they are also not completely helpless especially if they are
knowledgeable about the condition and how they can manage it. With regard to
this, we would love to shade more light on what cerebral palsy is, in a bid to
empower our readers and especially those who have children with the condition.
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term used to describe
a group of chronic disorders that impair control of movement due to damage to
the developing brain. It usually develops the age of 2 or 3 and is a
non- progressive brain disorder- it does not continue to worsen throughout
life. However, the symptoms due to the brain damage often change over time
-- sometimes getting better and sometimes getting worse. CP is one of the most
common causes of chronic childhood disability.
What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
Congenital cerebral palsy results from brain
injury during a baby's development in the womb. It is present at birth,
although it may not be detected for months. It is responsible for CP in about
70% of the children who have it. An additional 20% are diagnosed with
congenital cerebral palsy due to a brain injury during the birthing process. In
most cases, the cause of congenital cerebral palsy is unknown. Some possible
causes include:
- Infections during pregnancy such as rubella (German measles), cytomegalovirus (a herpes-type virus), and toxoplasmosis (an infection caused by a parasite that can be carried in cat feces or inadequately cooked meat). These may damage a fetus' developing nervous system.
- Severe jaundice in the infant which in rare cases damage brain cells.
- Rh incompatibility between mother and infant. In this blood condition, the mother's body produces antibodies that destroy the fetus's blood cells. This, in turn, leads to a form of jaundice in the newborn and may cause brain damage.
- The physical and metabolic trauma of being born. This can precipitate brain damage in a fetus whose health has been threatened during development.
- Severe oxygen deprivation to the brain or significant trauma to the head during labor and delivery.
