Question
A newborn showed a delayed response to external stimuli and was diagnosed with pediatric cerebral palsy by the hospital. What are the causes of pediatric cerebral palsy?
Answer
The causes of cerebral palsy are diverse, with about two-thirds of cases unable to be pinpointed. Prenatal factors may include genetic diseases, congenital infections, abnormal brain structure, or developmental malformations; perinatal factors involve brain damage occurring within one week after birth, such as hydrocephalus, neonatal shock, intracranial hemorrhage, or central nervous system infection. Additionally, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in premature infants may be an important cause of cerebral palsy. Late neonatal factors include central nervous system infections, cerebrovascular diseases, head injuries, and poisoning, which may cause non-progressive brain damage between one week after birth and three to four years old.