Patient's question:
The baby, at the age of 13 months, was found to be unable to lift its head normally. Whenever it was held, its head would tilt backward. The baby's feet were soft and weak, unable to bend, and it couldn't stand. Feeding was difficult, and the baby had a poor appetite. After a thorough examination at the hospital, it was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. What kind of help is needed: What are the fundamental causes of infantile cerebral palsy?Doctor's answer:
1. Inter-generational genetic factors: Recent studies suggest that inter-generational genetic factors play an increasingly important role in CP. For instance, individuals with two of the three factors (epilepsy, CP, and intellectual disability) in their close relatives account for 65% of CP cases. Another factor is chromosomal abnormalities.2. Maternal factors: American researchers speculate that maternal intellectual disability is the main risk factor for CP, accounting for 2.7 per 1000 cases. The second major risk factor is maternal complications during childbirth. Maternal epilepsy, pre-pregnancy hypothyroidism, or having two or more stillbirths are significantly associated with CP.
3. Other factors during pregnancy: Infections during pregnancy, physical and chemical factors, fetal brain edema and hypoxia, as well as maternal nutritional deficiencies can all affect the fetus.