How does brain damage occur?
In the past, doctors believed that the damage to the brain occurred during birth as a result of a chid being temporarily deprived of oxygen (asphyxia). Asphyxia can sometimes occur during a difficult or complicated birth. However a major research project carried out in the 1980s showed that asphyxia was only responsible for an estimated 5-10% of cases of cerebral palsy. The majority of cases occurred as a result of damage to the brain which happened before the child was born. The adult brain is quite resilient and can recover from even quite serious damage. But the brains of children, especially during the first six months of development, are particularly vulnerable, and any damage that occurs during this time can have serious and life-long consequences. Researchers believe that there are three ways the brain can be damaged before birth. These are discussed below. Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a term that refers to damage of the white matter o
