Cerebral Palsy is a neurodevelopment disorder that affects a child's ability to move a particular part of his or her body. This is one of the most common conditions contributing to disability among children. According to a report, more than 764,000 children in the United States of America suffer from this disorder.

Due to damage to the brain, voluntary or involuntary movements or both can be affected. Cerebral Palsy is not a contagious condition. So it does not spread from one person to another. It does not get worse with time. This condition is not progressive. In fact, it improves over a period of time.

Kids with cerebral palsy live a normal life. Their life expectancy is normal. And, in many cases, they do better than normal kids.

Causes

One of the main causes of cerebral palsy is damage to the brain's cerebrum department, which is responsible for the movement of muscle. The damage to cerebrum before, after or within 5 years of birth leads to this condition.

Cerebrum department of the brain is also responsible for learning and behavioral skills. Any damage to this area in the brain affects a child's learning abilities also. This is why kids suffering from cerebral palsy face difficulty communicating and learning. In a few cases, cerebral palsy has also affected vision and hearing.

Scientists in the past had claimed that cerebral palsy is caused by the lack of oxygen. However, it was later revealed that the same cause affects less than 1 in 10 people across the globe.

The basic cause of cerebral palsy that is damage to the brain normally takes place during the first 6 months of the pregnancy.

There are three reasons behind this damage to the brain. Here they are:

Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)

This condition affects a brain's white muscle due to lack of oxygen. This damage to the brain occurs due to infections (such as rubella or German measles) carried by the mother. Low blood pressure is also a common reason. The use of illegal drugs by a pregnant lady can also lead to PVL.

Abnormal Brain Development

During the first 6 months of pregnancy, a fetus is quite vulnerable. They can face disruption in their brain development due to head trauma, infections such as toxoplasmosis, herps, and parasite.

Intracranial Haemorrhage

This happens to a baby when they experience some sort of a stroke in the womb. Bleeding can disrupt the supply of the blood to critical parts of the brain resulting in damage. This blood also starts clotting around the brain.

The following factors result in a stroke to fetus:

• A blood clot in placenta stops the blood supply

• Clotting disorder

• Arterial blood flow interruptions

• Placenta inflammation

The following reasons during pregnancy can cause a stroke to fetus:

• Emergency cesarean

• Fetal or neonatal heart anomalies

• Umbilical cord abnormalities

Some of the other factors that lead to cerebral palsy are the following:

• Multiple births such as twins

• Damaged placenta

• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

• Consumption of alcohol, drugs, and other toxic substance

• Breech delivery

• Small pelvis in the mother

Brain Damage After Birth

A small proportion of children are affected by cerebral palsy after birth. Their brains are damaged due to infections such as meningitis, head injury, and poisoning.

Symptoms

A child suffering from cerebral palsy may have muscular and movement problems. These kids have poor muscle tone.

• Underdeveloped muscles

• Poor coordination

• Slow writhing movements

• Favoring one part of the body over other

• Limited range of movement

• Hearing problem

• Poor vision

• Seizures

Treatment

Just like autism, cerebral palsy is also noncurable disease. However, there are treatments that can help control symptoms and boost independence. A child suffering from cerebral palsy may require a team including a doctor, pediatrician, psychologist, and speech therapist. The team designs an individual care plan for the kid.

Apart from the treatment, it is important to take some preventive measures to avoid cerebral palsy.

• Avoid taking drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and smoke

• Attend all antenatal meetings with the doctor

• Eat healthily