Question
My baby was born prematurely, two months earlier than expected due to oxygen deprivation in the womb. Now, almost a year old, the baby still cannot lift their head and their reactions are slow. After a hospital check-up, the baby was diagnosed with pediatric cerebral palsy. I would like to know what causes pediatric cerebral palsy.
Answer
The factors that cause pediatric cerebral palsy mainly include issues during prenatal, delivery, or postpartum periods. Prenatal factors may be related to genetics, such as a family history of epilepsy, cerebral palsy, or intellectual disability. Additionally, chromosomal abnormalities are also a cause of pediatric cerebral palsy. Factors during delivery include premature birth before 32 weeks, breech delivery, birth weight less than 2000 grams, fetal malformation, asphyxia, amnionitis, abnormal presentation, and umbilical cord too short. These are all potential high-risk factors.