What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
Several of the causes of cerebral palsy that have been identified through research are preventable or treatable:
- Childhood head injury (such as from an accident or child abuse)
- Jaundice
- Rh(Rhesus) incompatibility in pregnancy
- Lead poisoning
- Rubella (German measles) and other illnesses during pregnancy
- Premature delivery.
Chief among Cerebral Palsy causes is an insufficient amount of oxygen or poor flow of blood reaching the fetal or newborn brain. This can be caused by premature separation of the placenta, an awkward birth position, labor that goes on too long or is too abrupt, or interference with the umbilical cord.
