Prenatal Brain Damage
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines cerebral palsy as a group of conditions that are caused by damage to the brain, resulting in problems with mobility, cognition, vision and hearing. The Mayo Clinic adds that cerebral palsy occurs in two to four out of 1,000 newborns in Europe and the United States. Most cases of cerebral palsy are caused by prenatal damage, with few cases resulting from damage during early development years. One cause of cerebral palsy is infections the mother has during her pregnancy. The Mayo Clinic lists syphilis, rubella, toxoplasmosis, varicella and cytomegalovirus as diseases that result in fetal brain damage. Exposure to toxins may also result in congenital abnormalities.
The Mayo Clinic notes that a fetus can also experience a stroke while she is in utero, when clots form in the placenta. These clots interrupt blood flow, which can damage brain cells. Another issue that can result in brain damage is a lack of oxygen during delivery. During birth, a complication arises that prevents the newborn from getting enough oxygen, resulting in cell death. If the fetus has severe jaundice and it is left untreated, it can also result in brain damage.
Abnormal Brain Development
The Neurology Channel notes when damage to the brain during pregnancy or during the early developmental years occurs, the brain does not form properly and causes cerebral palsy. The type of cerebral palsy the infant has depends on where the brain was injured. Even the mobility problems vary depending on the form of cerebral palsy. For example, the most common cerebral palsy (50 to 75 percent of cases), spastic cerebral palsy, causes stiff muscles; athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy (10 to 20 percent) results in slowed movements that the patient cannot control; and ataxic cerebral palsy (five to ten percent) causes problems with depth perception, balance and coordination. Some patients with more extensive damage can have mixed cerebral palsy, where two or more types are present. This occurs in ten percent of cases, according to the Neurology Channel.
Onset of Cerebral Palsy Symptoms
The NIH notes that cerebral palsy symptoms have fully presented themselves by age two, with symptoms showing as early as three months. Parents may notice developmental problems, such as not hitting important milestones, like crawling and walking. When symptoms start, they will appear on one side of the body, corresponding to the part of the brain that was damaged. The severity of the symptoms also depends on the severity of the brain damage: The greater the amount of brain damage, the more debilitating the symptoms are. The NIH adds that about half of cerebral palsy patients suffer from seizures, where the electrical signals in the brain are disrupted. Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition and cannot be cured, nor can the brain damage be fixed. However, different therapies and medications can help patients manage their symptoms.
