What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy does not have a single cause like chicken pox or measles. There are many reasons why someone might have cerebral palsy. An unborn child might have suffered a brain injury, an infection, or abnormal development of the brain tissue. These are called "prenatal"causes, meaning they happened before birth. These causes are responsible for about 70% of the cases of cerebral palsy. Another 20% of cerebral palsy cases are caused by a brain injury that takes place during the birthing process. In the US, about 10% of children who have cerebral palsy got it after they were born. This is called "acquired cerebral palsy."(The figures are higher in Maldives.) Acquired cerebral palsy happens when there is brain damage during the first few months or years of life. This damage can be caused by brain infections, like bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis. It can also be caused by a head injury -- usually from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse during the first few years of life when the brain development is still taking place.

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What puts a child at risk for developing cerebral palsy?