Cerebral Palsy And Its Causes

Cerebral Palsy is a term given to a condition that results from a brain injury; or an abnormality that might have occurred during the foetal development, or at the time of birth. At times, this might occur within the initial months of the life of the infant or immediately after birth.

It has been seen that cures are not designed for it, and offer the diverse cures after realising the condition of a person. It has no specific treatment, but varies from one person to another; all cures helped patients to become as self-governing as possible. It is a life long disease, and requires much care and attention from time to time.

There are three major types of cerebral palsy. These are Spastic (pyramidal), Dyskinetic (extrapyramidal) and can be a mix of both. In Spastic (pyramidal) the muscles becomes stiff resulting in awkward and jerky movement. The legs, one side of the body, or even the whole body can be affected by it. Dyskinetic (extrapyramidal) affects the coordination of the body parts. While the mixed type, as the names states, is the mixture of the first two types.

Overall, it is related to the brain, or cerebrum. It comes from a Latin word leads to the gist of peak of the skull . However, in English, it is the front part of the head having two hemispheres; for humans, it is the foremost element.

Premature birth and low birth weight increase the risks of cerebral palsy to a great extent. Babies who are born before the expected time are highly vulnerable and it is more likely that they suffer through various health complications. Stress, infections, preterm labour and multiple births; smoking and alcohol usage; and uterine infections may also contribute to the occurrence of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy may also occur due to the failure of the medical staff in preventing a birth injury. This includes the misdiagnosis and maltreatment of maternal infections; the failure of recognition of foetal distress; not being able to perform a C-section in an organized and timely manner; not treating jaundice and not ensuring sufficient oxygen supply. It also includes the failure of proper use of medical equipments like forceps.

Medical malpractice can be highly devastating as it might be a probable cause of cerebral palsy; therefore, it is advised to file a lawsuit, so as to be able to acquire compensation for the treatment costs and other losses as well.

These are some general causes of cerebral palsy. The signs of cerebral palsy start appearing before the age of 3 years. Parents start feeling problems in the motor skills of the child, and they experience developmental delay, as he/she does not achieve milestones, as crawling, walking, speaking, or smiling. The decreased muscle tone of the child also gives an indication of the problem with the child.