Question
A young child has not yet learned to walk, often falls, has a slow language development with unclear pronunciation, has a dull gaze, is slow to respond, sometimes involuntarily shakes, often tilts their head back, and rarely smiles. After medical diagnosis, the child shows symptoms of cerebral palsy. What are the causes of cerebral palsy?
Answer
The causes of cerebral palsy are diverse, including placental abnormalities, malpresentation, intrauterine distress, preterm birth, multiple pregnancies, asphyxia at birth, neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, kernicterus, infection, trauma, intracranial hemorrhage, and brain malformations. The key to treating pediatric cerebral palsy lies in early detection and treatment. Cerebral palsy is primarily caused by brain neuronal cell damage and necrosis due to hypoxia-ischemia before and after birth. Therefore, the focus of treating cerebral palsy is on repair and regeneration of the damaged neurons.