By the time a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, typically around the age of 2, it's too late to figure out exactly what caused the neurological damage. Cerebral palsy affects roughly three in 1000 babies, and a far greater percentage of those born prematurely. It can result from genetic causes, infection and ensuing inflammation, a disruption in the brain's oxygen supply, or a combination of these. The injury to the brain happens before birth, but its impact persists for a lifetime, causing rigid muscles, a lack of coordination, and other permanent movement difficulties.
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