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Factors That Influence The Development Of Cerebral Palsy

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Purpose The purpose of this article is to explore and gain an understanding of the factors that influence the development of cerebral palsy in infants born prematurely and at term. Description This article explores a number of factors that have been identified as well as what still needs to be done in regards to establishing the etiology of cerebral palsy (CP). The author notes that there is still little research (as of 2008) in regards of the environmental influence on the development of CP. The research for CP in obstetrics has been led by Eastman and DeLeon since the mid-1950s. Their study had 5 major findings that have been the basis for more current research. Their findings were that although prematurity is a risk-factor, the majority of CP develops in infants were born at term. Secondly, placental abruption and cord prolapse, while dangerous to the fetus and uncommon, do not contribute a major share to CP. Thirdly, while in the delivery room, half of the term infants that were deemed in good health then later developed CP. Fourth, congenital anomalies can be attributed as a cause of CP. Lastly, mothers who were febrile during labor increased the chances of their children developing CP. The author goes onto to talk about how we (as doctors and researchers) know what we know about CP. Nelson cites the development of neuroimaging technologies, helping with the discovery of brain malformations as a contributing cause of CP. The author then delves into the causative

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