Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a group of permanent disorders/damage to the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitations. It is a motor disorder affected by part of the brain, which is unable to send the appropriate signals necessary through neurons to instruct muscles when to contract and relax. Any non-progressive central nervous system (CNS) injury occurring during the first 2 (some say 5) years of life is considered to be CP.
The most common cause of CP to brain damage during pregnancy is not known. But some causes of CP involve prenatal-conception to the onset of labor, perinatal-28 weeks intrauterine to 7 days, and postnatal- first two (and some say five) years of life. Known causes of CP are infection during pregnancy (TORCH = Toxoplasmosis, Other (Syphilis, Varicella-Zoster, Parvovirus B19,) Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes Simplex Virus), hyperthyroidism, improper functioning of the placenta, being prematurely born (< 36 weeks, major cause), severe jaundice, meningitis, Rh factors, head injury, etc. If a baby has severe jaundice, there’s a risk of bilirubin passing into the brain, acute bilirubin encephalopathy, bilirubin is toxic to cells of the brain. Precisely, among the problems, the most important risk factor seems to be prematurity and low birth weight. However, CP in premature babies (boys>girls) is much higher than in term babies.
Improved medical care has decreased the CP among some children, who previously would have died at a young age. But the incidence of CP has not declined despite improved perinatal and obstetric care. Even at Hospitals/Centers where optimal conditions exist for perinatal care and birth asphyxia are relatively uncommon, CP in term babies has remained the same. However, the overall prevalence worldwide has increased during the last decades because of increased survival rates.
