This leads naturally into the second question: Why does your child have brain damage? There are many possible answers to this second question, because there are many reasons children can sustain brain damage. Your doctor must carefully review your child's health history and conduct a variety of medical and neurological tests to help determine the cause. Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth. In many cases, no one knows for sure what caused the brain injury or what may have been done to prevent the injury. A large number of factors which can injure the developing brain may produce cerebral palsy. In general, however, there are two problems that can cause cerebral palsy:
1. failure of the brain to develop properly (developmental brain malformation)
2. neurological damage to the child's developing brain
Whatever the cause of your child's cerebral palsy, the severity of the brain damage generally depends on the type and timing of the injury. For example, in very premature babies, bleeding into the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage) can cause extensive damage. Also, the longer an unborn child goes without oxygen, the greater the extent of brain tissue damage.
Ten to fifteen percent of cerebral palsy is caused from a recognized brain injury, such as infection (like meningitis), bleeding into the brain, and damage caused by lack of oxygen. It is very important that you understand that a brain injury caused during delivery in many cases could have been prevented. Medical mistakes are responsible for thousands and thousands of cerebral palsy cases. It would be virtually impossible for a parent, on their own, to determine if a medical mistake caused their child's cerebral palsy or brain damage. It is only through the concerted efforts of a legal/medical team that can answer the question, "was my child's cerebral palsy preventable?"
Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy
A risk factor is not a cause, it is a variable which, when present, increases the chance of something occurring. In other words, a risk factor for cerebral palsy is not a cause of cerebral palsy, it is a variable that could increase your child's chances of developing cerebral palsy. The presence of a risk factor does not mean cerebral palsy will occur, nor does the absence of a risk factor mean that cerebral palsy will not occur. If a risk factor is present, it should alert parents and health care professionals to be even more observant of the infant's development. Risk factors can be associated with the parents, as well as the child. The following are risk factors related to parents that can increase the risk of cerebral palsy:
* Mother 40 years or older
* Mother 20 years or younger
* Father 20 years or younger
* African-American ethnicity.
The following are risk factors related to the child that can increase the risk of cerebral palsy:
* A first child or child born fifth or later in the family
* One of a pair of twins, especially if one twin dies
* Low birth weight, less than 3.5 pounds
* Premature infant, less than 37 weeks.
The following are other known risk factors that can increase the risk of cerebral palsy:
* Rh or ABO blood type incompatibility between mother and infant
* Infection of the mother with German measles or other virus in early pregnancy
* Attack by micro-organisms on the central nervous system of the infant.
More than one risk factor can be present at the same time, such as low birth weight and being a twin. Such combinations can further increase the risk of cerebral palsy occurring.
Therapy and Treatment for Cerebral Palsy
Following your child's interdisciplinary assessment, the professionals providing care for your child will develop recommendations for his or her treatment. Many treatments are available to help a child function at the highest level possible. Although many treatments are available, we will touch upon a few of the most basic approaches used today to help a child achieve their optimal level of functioning.
Since no two children are affected by cerebral palsy in exactly the same way, individual treatment programs vary widely. But because all children with cerebral palsy have movement problems, you can expect that an important component of your child's treatment will be a therapeutic exercise program. Depending on your child's needs, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a speech-language pathologist will work with your child to help him or her improve posture and movement.
At first, your child will likely see his or her therapist quite often, sometimes at least twice a week. As your child grows, he or she may need a less intensive program. The therapists will probably expect you to work on the child's movement skills at home, and will train you in special exercises and handling techniques. Because the time commitment to a therapy program is tremendous, it is wise for both parents, or other caretakers, to be involved. In general, it is considered very early intervention if a baby begins therapy before six months of age. Most infants are not referred until later in the first year or sometime in the second year of life. Of course, the age at which your child is referred will depend to some extent on how quickly the physicians diagnose cerebral palsy, or other problems requiring therapy. Researchers are still studying the long term benefits therapy can offer. But it is generally agreed that children who receive good treatment not only have fewer movement limitations, but also have better postures, better muscle development, and better abilities in toileting, feeding, and dressing themselves. Furthermore, therapy programs enrich children's lives by enabling them to explore and experience activities that they might not otherwise be able to do independently. |
| Author: Jerald Chan |
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Author Bio:
Jerald Chan writes for www.cerebralpalsycure.info where you can find out more about cerebralpalsy cure and other topics. |
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