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Q: What is Cerebral Palsy? |
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A:Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and to maintain posture and balance. People with cerebral palsy have damage to the part of the brain that controls muscle tone. It is what lets you keep your body in a certain posture or position. It does not get worse over time, although the symptoms can change over a person's lifetime.
Cause:Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage that affects a child's ability to control his or her muscles. The part of the brain that is damaged determines what parts of the body are affected. There are many possible causes of brain damage. Some causes affect how the child's brain develops during the first 6 months of pregnancy. These include genetic conditions and problems with the blood supply to the brain. Other causes of cerebral palsy happen after the brain has developed. These can occur during later pregnancy, delivery, or the first years of the child's life. They include bacterial meningitis and other infections, lack of oxygen, severe jaundice, head injury, and bleeding in the brain.
Children who are born prematurely or who are very low birth weight are more likely to have problems that might lead to cerebral palsy. However, children who are full term and normal birth weight can also have cerebral palsy. |
