Cerebral Palsy refers to a condition where the brain has problems controlling the muscles of the body. The severity and symptoms of cerebral palsy differs between each individual. The care and management of this disease should$, therefore$, be managed on an individual basis.
$The causes of cerebral palsy are not completely understood – there are various causes known to occur in newborns and infants but why some children have congenital cerebral palsy is still unknown although there are many theories. The developing brain is thought to experience changes or injuries which lead to cerebral palsy – an inability to control muscle movement. As it is changes and damage to the developing brain that leads to cerebral palsy$, it is a disease associated with young children
$Some of the known causes of brain damage that can lead to cerebral palsy are:
$Infection – either in vitro during the first few months of pregnancy$, most commonly by German measles (rubella) or$, infection of the newborn bay in the first few weeks after birth.
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Oxygen Deprivation – occurring during or shortly after birth.
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Accident – occurring in the first years of life.
Some other factors which have been known to correlate with the development of cerebral palsy include: premature birth; babies with other physical congenital abnormalities – such as hear or liver deformities; babies who spend the first weeks of their life on ventilators; and babies that do not cry within the first five minutes of birth. Although these have been correlated with cerebral palsy they are not causes or necessities for developing cerebral palsy and not all babies with these symptoms develop cerebral palsy.
$Suspected causes of congenital brain deformities and cerebral palsy include injury and infection to the mother and baby during pregnancy$, exposure to harmful chemical and infections during pregnancy and ingestion of harmful substance such as alcohol or cigarette smoke have also been suspected to cause birth defects. Severe malnutrition and other causes of low birth weight have also been suspected to cause cerebral palsy but none of these have been proven to definitely cause cerebral palsy. There is also thought to be no genetic cause of cerebral palsy.
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