Question
My child experienced a prolonged labor during birth, which caused brain oxygen deprivation and led to cerebral palsy. The child has been different from normal children since birth, with a late walking time. By the time the child was two years old, they could not walk with strength. What are the causes of pediatric cerebral palsy?
Answer
The causes of pediatric cerebral palsy include several situations: prolonged labor at birth leading to brain oxygen deprivation, and brain damage in premature infants due to their small age and underdeveloped brain. The risk of premature infants is relatively high, especially in cases where the gestational age is only 28 weeks and the weight is less than 1 kilogram. Even though they may survive after rescue, they may still develop cerebral palsy. The early symptoms of cerebral palsy often appear in the first half of the child’s life (within 6 months), including body softness and reduced spontaneous movements, as well as body stiffness (high muscle tone). If these symptoms persist for more than 4 months, it can be diagnosed as cerebral palsy. Therefore, if a child is different from normal children since birth, with a late walking time and difficulty walking with strength, it may be one of the early symptoms of cerebral palsy.