Cerebral palsy: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:53, 3 October 2002

Revision as of 18:02, 3 October 2002

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== [[Etiology]] ==

Since cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders, there is no exact known cause. Some major causes are [[asphyxia]] or [[hypoxia]] of brain, birth trauma or premature birth, genetic susceptibility, certain drugs or infections in the mother which reach the fetus during pregnancy, central nervous system infections, birth trauma, consecutive hematoma,. and infectionsAfter inbirth, the mother.condition may be caused by toxins, physical brain injury, and meningitis.

Recent research has demonstrated that hypoxiaasphyxia is not the most important cause as it was once considered to be, though it still plays a role. The research has shown that infections in the mother, even infections that are not easily detected, drastically increase the risk of the unborn child developing the disorder.

The classical symptoms are [[spasticity]], paralysis, seizures, unsteady gait, and dysarthria. While [[mental retardation]] and cerebral palsy do not cause each other, the two disorders are found together in approximately 40%-70% of all persons with cerebral palsy.