Question
The baby has rarely cried since birth and there’s nothing serious about feeding. However, the baby often vomits, has a dazed gaze, doesn’t follow objects, mostly lies still without moving around much, and it feels a bit off. After going to the hospital for a check-up, the doctor said the baby has brain palsy and needs treatment. What is fetal brain palsy?
Answer
A fetal brain tumor refers to a condition in newborns caused by various reasons such as infection, hemorrhage, or trauma, leading to brain tissue damage and resulting in non-progressive central motor dysfunction that may develop into paralysis. In severe cases, it can be accompanied by intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, limb spasms, and impairments in vision, hearing, and language. The most common cause at birth is preterm delivery; if the baby weighs less than 2268g at birth, the chance of developing a brain tumor is higher. Other causes are often due to improper use of forceps, difficult labor, or prolonged labor resulting in birth trauma or hypoxia. During delivery, traction on the baby’s neck can lead to hemiplegia or quadriplegia. Regional trauma can result in spasmodic hemiplegia, for example, when the baby’s head strikes the sacral promontory during difficult labor.