What Are The Chief Causes Of Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a difficult disorder to live with. But if parents learn what factors may be responsible for cerebral palsy, they would be better equipped to help their children and even reduce the likelihood of cerebral palsy. To this effect, the World Cerebral Palsy Day is organized every year on 6th October.

‘Cerebral’ is a reference to the brain. ‘Palsy’ translates to issues with body movement. Cerebral palsy is associated with problems of muscle coordination and movement of the limbs, involuntary motions, loss of balance, poor depth perception, tremours, speech issues and many more.

Here are the main causes of cerebral palsy

Brain damage before or after birth or unnatural brain development

This is the most common reason behind cerebral palsy. If for some reason, the segments of the brain responsible for motor activities, balance, movement coordination and muscle control are damaged, the child will be born with cerebral palsy.

Brain damage may happen during birth or when the baby is in the uterus. This gives rise to congenital cerebral palsy. Brain damage can also happen in the days right after birth.

Risk factors of congenital cerebral palsy or cerebral palsy caused just after the birth of the child are-

1. Multiple births (of twins or triplets, the risk goes up if the other twin or one of the triplets dies before or during birth )

2. Premature birth (before 32 weeks)

3. Low birth weight (less than 2.5 kg at birth)

4. Pregnancy infections (infections contracted by the pregnant woman can produce cytokines in her body which enter the foetus’ brain. Cytokines trigger inflammation, which damages the brain.)

5. Infant jaundice

6. Treatment for infertility

7. Medical conditions of the mother (seizures, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or disability of the intellect)

8. Complications during birth (placenta detachment, asphyxiation with the umbilical cord that cuts off blood supply to the baby’s brain or uterine rupture).

9. Exposure to toxins especially mercury

10. The baby’s Rh factor is the opposite of the mother’s

Acquired cerebral palsy

A significantly smaller percentage of children with cerebral palsy develop the condition more than 28 days after the baby is born.

Causes of acquired cerebral palsy are-

1. Head injury (if the baby suffers an injury to the brain, then cerebral palsy may set in. The skull of babies is soft and pliable and do not cushion the brain as effectively as adult’s skulls)

2. Infections such as encephalitis or meningitis

3. Disruption of blood flow to the brain caused by infant stroke or sickle cell disease

Proper prenatal and neonatal care can do a lot to reduce the chances of a baby getting cerebral palsy. That is why it is important to know the causes of this disorder.