Question
My classmate just had a daughter, who is 14 days old and a 7-month premature baby. The doctor said she lacks cerebral white matter right after birth and has been in the intensive care unit ever since. They estimate she might still need to stay there for about 20 more days before reassessing the situation.
Answer
Cerebral white matter disease is a condition characterized by structural changes in the brain, primarily involving the damage to the myelin sheath of central nervous system cells. The pathological changes affects white matter tracts that are responsible for higher brain functions. Clinical manifestations can range from inattention, forgetfulness, and personality changes, to dementia, coma, and even death. The situation for this child does not look promising! Has the doctor already diagnosed it as cerebral palsy? We will need to observe for some time before reaching a conclusion.