Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

One of the most common questions that parents will think about after they have discovered that their child has cerebral palsy is related to questions about what has possibly caused it. The causes of cerebral palsy are many. But, these are not directly related to the development of the condition.

Cerebral palsy is a condition characterized by uncoordinated muscle movements. This is believed to be due to damage to the brain that causes or prevents normal regulation of movement by the extremities or other parts of the body.

The damage to the brain, if this is suspected should be checked by a medical professional. They can confirm whether the signs and symptoms exhibited by your child are related to the damage to the brain. And, they might even be able to consider getting to the bottom of things and determine the possible cause or causes of the damage.

Cerebral palsy can happen as a result of damage to the brain before birth, during the delivery process and after the child has been born. It can either be caused by negligent handling of the child which has caused the injury. There are several neurological tests that your child can undergo. Each one can try and verify the presence of CP or it may determine the extent of the damage.

Other causes are related to the preterm age of the child upon birth. This is an established cause of CP as the child may not have all of the organs functioning well. Also, the brain may not be fully developed thus causing the symptoms. At the same time, those children who were born over the normal age of gestation have higher chances of developing the condition as compared to those who were born within 38 to 42 weeks.

Mothers who are carrying twins or more than two babies at a time should get their children monitored as early as possible. Especially for those who have developed complications due to the reduced nutrition because they had to share with a twin, they should watch out for the development of the disease.

During the time when the baby was at the mother’s womb, there may be factors which have caused the delay and restriction of the full growth and development of the child. This incomplete development before the child is born can be considered as one of the causes of cerebral palsy.

Children who are males have developed palsy more often than females. The reason for this is unclear and is still subject to further studies.

Children who were born with low APGAR scores have developed CP more than those who had normal scores. The birth weights even do not have direct relationship and cannot be determined as causes of cerebral palsy.