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CEREBRAL PALSY
by Jane Mundy
Birth injuries have been reported to occur in 27 of 1,000 live births and one of the most common is Cerebral Palsy. The most serious birth injuries are those that affect the brain, caused by oxygen deprivation or bleeding within the skull or brain. These injuries vary greatly in severity and can lead to long-term seizure disorders, cause mental retardation or cerebral palsy.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of chronic disorders that appear in the first few years of life. It affects the ability to move and maintain balance and posture. Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy have damage to that part of the brain that controls muscle tone, which causes an affected child to be unable to move normally.
Cerebral palsy occurs while the brain is under development and 80 percent of all cases occur before the baby is one month old. The disorder can develop up until the age of 5 years old.
While symptoms do not worsen, they range from mild to severe. For example, a child with severe cerebral palsy might never be able to walk and will require lifelong care while someone with mild cerebral palsy might walk awkwardly and not need special help.
As a child gets older and begins school, the level of learning will vary, based on individual needs. Persons with cerebral palsy are usually able to attain a substantial degree of independence but, in some cases, may need considerable assistance throughout their entire lives.
Some people with cerebral palsy have other problems that require treatment including seizure disorders, vision impairment, hearing loss, and mental retardation.
There are three major types of cerebral palsy, and some people may have symptoms of more than one type.
- Spastic cerebral palsy. About 70 to 80 percent of affected individuals have spastic cerebral palsy, in which muscles are stiff, making movement difficult. When both legs are affected (spastic diplegia), a child may have difficulty walking because tight muscles in the hips and legs cause legs to turn inward and cross at the knees (called scissoring). In other cases, only one side of the body is affected (spastic hemiplegia), often with the arm more severely affected than the leg. Most severe is spastic quadriplegia, in which all four limbs and the trunk are affected, often along with the muscles controlling the mouth and tongue. Children with spastic quadriplegia often have mental retardation and other problems.
- Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy. About 10 to 20 percent of affected individuals have the athetoid form, which affects the entire body. It is characterized by fluctuations in muscle tone (varying from too tight to too loose) and sometimes is associated with uncontrolled movements (which can be slow and writhing or rapid and jerky). Children often have trouble learning to control their bodies well enough to sit and walk. Because muscles of the face and tongue can be affected, there also can be difficulties with sucking, swallowing and speech.
- Ataxic cerebral palsy. About 5 to 10 percent of affected individuals have the ataxic form, which affects balance and coordination. They may walk with an unsteady gait with feet far apart, and they have difficulty with motions that require precise coordination, such as writing.
What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
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 the brain damage. Some causes affect how the child's brain develops during the first 6 months of pregnancy. These causes include genetic conditions and problems with the blood supply to the brain.
Other causes of cerebral palsy include infections during pregnancy, insufficient oxygen reaching the fetus, asphyxia during labor and delivery, blood diseases, severe jaundice and other birth defects such as babies born with brain malformations, numerous genetic diseases and other physical birth defects that are at increased risk of cerebral palsy.
Human Error Can Also Cause Cerebral Palsy
Although many reasons for birth injuries are unknown, others could have been avoided. General negligence, such as hospital negligence or midwife mistakes, can cause some birth defects such as Cerebral Palsy. During delivery, a baby needs oxygen and medical staff must ensure the baby is not stuck in the birth canal or caught by the umbilical cord. As well, a doctor must act immediately when a C-section is required. Your child's cerebral palsy or developmental delay could be a result of birth injury, a missed diagnosis, or a result of medical negligence.
Between 500,000 - 700,000 Americans have some degree of cerebral palsy. About 3,000 babies are born with the disorder each year, and another 500 or so acquire it in the early years of life.
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