What is Cerebral Palsy?
Risk Factors
There are certain risk factors that, when present, may increase the chance of CP occurring. The presence of a risk factor does not mean that CP will occur but it should alert parents and health care professionals to be even more observant of the infant’s development. More than one risk factor can be present at the same time, which can further increase the risk of CP occurring. Risk factors are associated with the child as well as the parent.
Risk factors for parents include:
- Mother 40 years or older
- Mother 20 years or younger
- Father 20 years or younger
- African-American ethnicity
Risk factors related to the child include:
- A first child or child born fifth or later in the family.
- One of a pair of twins, especially if one twin dies.
- FLow birth weight, 3.5 pounds or less.
- Premature infant, less than 37 weeks.
Prevention
Measures can be taken to prevent CP. Pregnant women are routinely tested for the Rh factor and, if Rh negative, they can be immunized, thereby preventing adverse consequences of blood incompatibility in a subsequent pregnancy. If a baby has jaundice, this can be treated by phototherapy. Also, measures can be taken to control diabetes, anemia, prematurity, and the mother’s exposure to infections and x-rays. CP can also be prevented through optimal well being prior to conception, adequate prenatal care and protecting infants from accidents or injury.
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