Causes | neurologymodule

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is caused by lack of oxygen during birth process--- This is only the cause in a small number of cases.

CP is caused by abnormal development of the brain or from damage to the brain.

Damage can happen before, during, shortly after, or during the first years of a child’s life because a child's brain is still developing.

Occurs in 85-90% of cases

Occurs more than 28 days after birth

Infections (meningitis or encephalitis)
Injuries to the brain
Problem with blood flow to the brain: This may be caused by a heart defect or even Sickle Cell Disease
Abuse

Children whose injury occurs after 1 year of age are typically labeled as having a Traumatic Brain Injury

Cerebral Palsy is typically classified as Congenital or Acquired; however, in many cases the cause is completely UNKNOWN!

When the baby is developing at 24-36 weeks, the periventricular white matter has increased sensitivity. The White Matter is what transmits signals inside the brain and to the rest of the body.
Lack of oxygen in the brain destroys the tissue in the cerebral cortex. Many of the congenital causes of CP inhibit the amount of oxygen that the developing fetus receives.

)Boston Children's Hospital, n.d.)

(Centers for Disease Control, 2016)

(Cerebral Palsy Alliance, 2016)

(CerebralPalsy.org, n.d.)