The causes of Cerebral Palsy are unknown. This statement means that it is unclear what could have triggered the disorder. What is known is the fact that Cerebral Palsy more often affects the children that are born prematurely. The typical symptoms of CP are when an infant:
* does not cry during the first five minutes after birth,
* requires a ventilator for over four weeks,
* has bleeding in the brain.
These are not the only indications of CP. The disease can also be detected in the case of
a child being malformed in such parts of the body as the spine, heart or kidneys. The risk is increased even more when the child is likely to seizures.
When it is said that the child suffers from Cerebral Palsy, parents usually feel guilty for this condition. However, it is impossible to diagnose Cerebral Palsy in the early stages of gestation, in spite of availability of sophisticated machines.
Parents also feel very upset when they find out that their baby has the condition.
However, they should realize that birth defects also affect children of parents who follow the doctor’s recommendations as ordered. Sometimes it is difficult to prevent these defects, even with the proper attention and care.
The reasons for birth defects are not known either. However, it is stated that the developing brain can be affected in various ways. There are numerous factors that might be responsible for brain damage, such as:
* The exposure of fetus to infections or chemicals
* The exposure to cigarette smoke
* Using crack or cocaine
* Treatment of German measles (Rubella) by immunization
* Toxoplasmosis can be avoided by eliminating contact with raw meat and cat faeces
Cerebral Palsy can also result from human immunodeficiency virus or HIV (the virus which results in AIDS). However, most of the cases report of mental retardation rather than Cerebral Palsy. Since we have been considering the problem of underweight children, we should realize what underweight exactly is. Underweight children are those who weigh less than fifteen hundred pounds; that is three pounds are prone to incur Cerebral Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy usually occurs when the child experiences bleeding within the brain. This ailment is known as intraventricular hemorrhages, intracranial hemorrhages. The bleeding in the brain results in a dysfunction in the brain that is responsible for motor functions. Cerebral Palsy can also occur when such a bleeding destroys brain tissues. This condition is called periventricular leukomalacia.
