Approximately two to three children out of every one thousand are diagnosed with cerebral palsy. In many cases, the cause is unknown. But there are some risk factors in certain cases that can be avoided.
Two common risk factors for cerebral palsy are Rh disease and rubella syndrome. Pregnant women are tested early in their pregnancy to determine if they are Rh-negative and are treated accordingly. Pregnant women are also tested for an immunity to rubella and are given a vaccination if needed. Early and regular visits to an obstetrician can lower chances of an infant born with cerebral palsy.
There are infections in the mother that can cause brain damage – and cerebral palsy – in the child.
- Cytomegalovirus is usually just a mild infection in the mother, but can wreak havoc on an unborn baby.
- Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease which can cause damage to a fetus.
- A parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis can also cause cerebral palsy.
- Full-term infants are four times as likely to have cerebral palsy if exposed to chorioamnionitis, an infection in the linings of the placenta.
Sometimes severe jaundice can cause cerebral palsy. Jaundice is when the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow due to too much bilirubin in the blood. Between 50 and 60 percent of full-term babies have jaundice that requires treatment, although almost all babies have the condition to some extent.
In most cases, jaundice will disappear with time. Exposure to sunlight helps speed the process. In more severe cases, light therapy may be necessary. The baby will be placed under ultraviolet light which allows the baby’s body to dispose of the extra bilirubin more quickly. In extreme cases or if phototherapy is not effective, a baby may need to have a blood transfusion.
Another step to avoid or lessen the possibility of cerebral palsy is to ensure that the infant receives his immunizations on schedule. The Hib vaccine, in particular, prevents meningitis, which can cause brain damage in infants.
Many cases of Cerebral Palsy and other birth injuries are preventable and occur as a direct result of medical malpractice and mistakes made by the doctor during delivery. If your child has Cerebral Palsy that you suspect was caused as a result of malpractice you should contact a medical malpractice attorney to see if there is anything that can be done to provide for the care that your child will need.
References:
http://www.marchofdimes.com/baby/birthdefects_cerebralpalsy.html
http://www.babycenter.com/0_jaundice_89.bc