A birth defect that can affect the brain, cerebral palsy affects about 10,000 babies each year in the United States, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Symptoms of cerebral palsy can start by the time the child is 3 years old, and involve problems walking and moving, though some patients may have learning disabilities. Certain factors increase a child's risk of developing cerebral palsy.
Mother's Health Problems
If the mother has certain health problems during the pregnancy, it can raise her child's risk of having cerebral palsy. For example, MayoClinic.com notes that women who have mental retardation have a higher risk of giving birth to a child who develops cerebral palsy. Seizures during the pregnancy can increase a child's risk of cerebral palsy. Thyroid problems, which include an overproduction or underproduction of hormones, can also affect the child. Exposure to certain toxins during the pregnancy, such as mercury, is another risk factor. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke adds that infections during the pregnancy, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis and herpes, can also infect the womb and affect the infant, which can raise the risk of cerebral palsy.
Birthing Difficulties
Problems during the birth may increase a child's risk of cerebral palsy. These problems include a premature birth, which is a birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy, and a low birth weight, in which the child weighs less than 5.5 lbs. If the child is a breech birth, meaning he is born with his feet first, he has a higher risk of cerebral palsy. MayoClinic.com points out that having multiple birth is a risk factor for cerebral palsy, with the risk increasing if one or more of the babies die before birth. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke adds that if the child has vascular or breathing problems during the labor and delivery, he may have brain abnormalities or damage. Another risk factor includes a low Apgar score, which is a score that the doctor gives based on the child's condition after birth.
Blood Type Incompatibility
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that if the mother's Rh blood type differs from her child's, the child can have a higher risk of cerebral palsy. People can have Rh+ or Rh- as their Rh blood type. The mother's system cannot tolerate the different Rh red blood cells. For example, if the mother has an Rh+ blood type but the baby has an Rh- blood type, the mother's immune system will create antibodies and attack the baby's blood cells.
Other Risks
More than 50 percent of newborns get jaundice after birth, a condition in which bilirubin, a chemical in bile, builds up in the body, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The build up of bilirubin causes the yellowing of the child's skin and eyes. With severe untreated jaundice, it can become kernicterus, a condition that kills brain cells and increases the risk for cerebral palsy. Another risk factor is seizures during infancy, in which the child's brain has abnormal electrical activity. Infants with seizures can have changes in consciousness and muscular movement, such as twitching and tightening of muscles.
