Cerebral Palsy Causes
Cerebral palsy results from damage to certain parts of the developing brain. This damage can occur early in pregnancy, during the birth process, or after birth in the first few years of life. In many cases, the exact cause of the brain damage is never known.
A large number of factors, which can injure the developing brain, may produce cerebral palsy. A risk factor is not a cause. If it is present it increases the chance of something occurring -- in this case, cerebral palsy.
Risk factors for cerebral palsy include the following: premature birth; low birth weight; RH or A-B-O blood type incompatibility between mother and infant; infection of the mother with German measles or other viral diseases in early pregnancy; bacterial infection of the mother, fetus or infant that directly or indirectly attack the infant's central nervous system; prolonged loss of oxygen during the birthing process and severe jaundice shortly after birth.
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