Despite rapid advances in obstetric and neonatal medicine, it is uncertain that they reduced the incidence of cerebral palsy. Analyses were undertaken to determine the risk factors of cerebral palsy in a retrospective study of 70 full-term
children
with
cerebral palsy evaluated at Yeungnam medical canter, born in Taegu and Kyungpook province between 1981 and 1990, excluding children with cerebral palsy caused by postnatal events.
36 patients(51.4%) had one or more risk factors including birth asphyxia in 21 cases(30.0%), small for gestational age in 8 cases(11.4%), bilirubin encephalopathy in 7 cases(10.0%) and meconium staining in 5 cases(5.7%). 15 patients(21.4%) had
two
or
more risk factors including combination of birth asphyxia and small for gestational age in 5 cases(7.1%), birth asphyxia and meconium staining 3 cases(4.3%). There is no identifiable risk factors in 34 cases(48.6%).
It might be possible to prevent the development of the some cases of cerebral palsies caused by bilirubin encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. But in most of children with cerebral palsy, it is not usually possible to point a
single
cause
and its effect even though they had risk factor or factors. To prevent the development of cerebral palsy, more thorough prospective study with control group is needed as well as exerting all possible efforts to elucidate pathogenesis of cerebral
palsy
and public education about bilirubin encephalopathy.
|