Cerebral Palsy effects on children

Cerebral Palsy is actually a series of neurological disorders. It affects how the brain interacts with muscles and may come about as a result of a birth defect or inutero trauma. Cerebral Palsy affects about one in 275 children. Currently there are about 775,000 cases of Cerebral Palsy in both children and adults in the United States. Every year, about 8,000 babies are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

–What does Cerebral Palsy look like–

Cerebral Palsy manifests itself within children being unable to meet developmental milestones such as crawling and eventually walking. Children typically have abnormal muscle tone, and can be startled easily and lack coordination. Many children also have floppy or stiff movements due to muscle development issues. Additionally these children may also have speech, eyesight and hearing problems. Frequently sufferers have problems swallowing as well as bladder and bowel control problems in addition to limited mobility.

–Three causes for Cerebral Palsy–

Experts now believe Cerebral Palsy can be caused by one of three conditions during pregnancy. The condition emerges from a number of causes. Periventricular leukomalacia, or damage to the white matter of the baby’s brain, which can be caused by a lack of oxygen. A mother’s drug use, infection, low blood pressure and premature birth have also been shown as a cause.

Another cause of Cerebral Palsy comes from the overall development of the brain. This is particularly vital during the first six months of pregnancy. Genetic factors and some infections can cause abnormal changes to the brain. If the brain development is altered within the pregnancy or birth process, its ability to communicate with muscles can impaired.

A third cause of Cerebral Palsy comes from bleeding inside the brain. It amounts to a fetus having a stroke. The hemorrhage leads to a lack of blood to brain tissue and results in parts of the brain to be damaged or die.

Premature babies and those from births of twins and triplets are thought to be at an increased risk of developing Cerebral Palsy.

–Diagnosis and treatment–

Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed by an examination of the child in looking for abnormal movement and motor skills. Doctors will perform blood tests as well as imaging of the brain such as a CT scan or MRI to rule out other possible problems such as muscular dystrophy. As the child approaches three years old, more thorough, advanced testing may be performed. A full diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy is not usually made before a child is four years old. A child will need regular assessments to provide such a diagnosis.

The symptoms of Cerebral Palsy do not necessarily get worse as the individual ages. However many suffer from seizures which can result in further injuries. There is no cure for the disease, but treatments can help patients develop better life skills and increase mobility and muscle use.

Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, and has not reviewed or edited this article and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.

Types of Brain Damage

Brain damage, or brain injury, refers to the destruction or loss of brain cells due to an outside force or condition. Brain injuries are categorized into two divisions. Brain damage can either be traumatic or acquired. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a physical incident such as a fall, accident, or assault. Acquired brain injury (ABI) is caused by a disease or a medical condition.

Traumatic Brain Damage
Traumatic brain damage, medically known as traumatic brain injury, is the result of physical trauma to the brain. According the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the most common causes of TBI are falls at 35.2 percent, Motor vehicle accidents at 17.3 percent, being struck by or against an object at 16.5 percent, assault at 10 percent, and others at 21 percent. In total, over 1.7 million new cases of traumatic brain injury occur each year.

TBI is subdivided into several categories:
• Concussion – Concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury. A concussion is considered a minor type of TBI that involves a temporary loss of brain activity. Repeated or severe concussions can cause permanent symptoms and disability.
• Contusion – A contusion is another term for a bruise. When the brain acquires a contusion, it can cause serious medical problems, the worst of which is continued hemorrhaging.
• Penetration – A penetrating brain injury is when a physical object goes through the skull and impacts directly with the brain. This type of injury is often caused by bullets, knives, and motor vehicle accidents.
• Contrecoup – This type of brain injury occurs as a result of an impact. The impact causes the brain to hit the inside of the skull, and the resulting reaction causes the brain to subsequently bounce against the other side of the skull.
• Diffuse Axonal – A diffuse axonal brain injury occurs as a result of sudden shaking or twisting of the head.

Acquired Brain Damage
Acquired brain damage, medically known as acquired brain injury, is the result of a disease or medical condition. Cancer, meningitis, and stroke can all cause acquired brain damage. The symptoms of ABI are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. The two types of ABI are categorized as to how much oxygen is getting to the brain. Anoxia is a term for acquired brain damage caused by no oxygen at all getting to the brain. Hypoxia is a term for acquired brain damage caused by a severe lack of oxygen to the brain.

Goldberg & Osborne, a personal injury law firm, has provided this article for informational purposes only, written by an independent author, has not reviewed or edited this article, and is not responsible for its content or accuracy.