Nervous system conditions that affect an individual’s movements are called “motor disorders.” They can result in increased voluntary or involuntary movements, as well as faster or slower movements (1). Many motor disorders can have similar signs and symptoms, even though they are caused by different underlying conditions or diseases. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a movement...
Comparing Cerebral Palsy to Other Motor Disorders
Cerebral palsy (CP) exists in a variety of different forms, and its symptoms vary significantly from person to person. For instance, while people with severe CP may need a wheelchair to help them get around, people with mild CP might be able to walk just fine on their own (1). All people with CP experience...
Babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) often experience respiratory problems. Because of this, they may require assistance with breathing after birth. This can be done through the urgent method of resuscitation, or the more long-term assistance of inhaled nitric acid, high-frequency ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) (1). These long-term practices are commonly used for neonates...
What is a bulging fontanelle? The human skull is made of many bones, which join together to protect the brain. The lines at which they fuse are called sutures. When a baby is born, these sutures are not yet all firmly joined together. This allows the head to be a bit more flexible as it...
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and basal ganglia brain injury are often caused by the baby receiving insufficient oxygen during or near the time of birth. HIE and basal ganglia brain damage can cause a baby to have long-term conditions such as cerebral palsy, seizures and developmental delays....
Birth asphyxia occurs when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen shortly before, during, or after birth. This may be due to an interruption in the transportation of oxygenated blood from a mother to her unborn baby, an issue with blood circulation within the baby’s body, or (if it happens after birth) an airway blockage....
During a home birth, a delay in getting the baby to the hospital for a C-section when the baby was getting no oxygen (due to a uterine rupture and prolapsed umbilical cord) caused the baby to have permanent brain damage....
Monitoring babies at risk for seizure activity is crucial because delayed treatment can result in permanent brain damage....