Causes of Cerebral Palsy
A specific cause of CP is not often definable. There are a number of conditions or occurrences that can cause the brain to be damaged before and/or after birth.
- Head injury
- Low blood supply to the brain
- Abnormal brain development
- Gene mutation
- Infection
- German measles in the mother during pregnancy
- High or low blood pressure in the mother
- Premature birth
- Birth trauma
- Exposure to lead
- Malnourishment as an infant
Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is not progressive and the brain damage does not get worse over time. Depending on the type of brain damage and the severity of the damage, Cerebral Palsy symptoms can be mild or severe.
Symptoms in the baby that might indicate the presence of CP will usually become apparent within the first three years of life although there may not be any obvious symptoms at birth. The first signs of CP may be an abnormally rigid or floppy baby followed by delayed development of sitting, crawling, walking or speech skills.
Secondary symptoms of Cerebral Palsy can include, mental retardation, learning disabilities, vision loss, hearing loss, behavioural problems, seizures, speech problems or epilepsy.
Cerebral Palsy individuals can be afflicted with a substantial amount of pain that can last over a long period of time. Often, the CP child will experience pain and react to pain differently than other children and can exhibit a lower threshold when it comes to tolerating pain.
These symptoms can indicate many different conditions and a diagnosis by a medical professional will be needed to properly determine their cause. The presence of one or more of the above symptoms does not necessarily mean CP is the cause.
THIS MATERIAL DOES NOT CONSTITUTE MEDICAL ADVICE. IT IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT A PHYSICIAN FOR SPECIFIC TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.