Centre for Disease Control, the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov On Mon, 1 Apr 2002 08:42:33 -0800 Kathy Pink <[log in to unmask]> wrote: CDC? --- "Elizabeth H. Thiers" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > If you go to the CDC sight and look up the info > on CP one of the problems > again is, no one has been keeping an accurate > count. However, there was a > time when the incidence (new cases) of cp where > decreasing. Now we have > more medical advances where lower birth weight > babies are surviving (the > rise of the use of surfactants to help > premature lungs). With that rise in > survival, we are starting to see a small > increase in cp again. > > beth t. the OT > > -----Original Message----- > From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf > Of Kathleen Salkin > Sent: Monday, March 18, 2002 4:14 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Small preemies > > > It's very strange - if you go to WebMD.com and > look up "Cerebral Palsy," up > pops a link to an article stating that the rate > of CP has not decreased, nor > has the rate of premature births, in spite of > all the medical advances that > has been made since I was born 49 years ago. > Doctors still don't know what > causes CP, but they can (and do) guess at a > list of possible risk factors, > one of which is low birth weight and another, > premature birth. So it may be > the luck of the draw, a random chance, or > genetics (although that is not > currently a huge risk factor), who knows? > > Kat > > > "St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List" > <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > My boys were born at 30 weeks. Early, but not > too early if you consider = > that fuul-term for triplets is 34-36 weeks. > Nowadays, 85 - 90% of babies = > born after 28 weeks are free of complications > strictly related to = > pre-mature birth.=20 > > Bobby was 2 lbs. 14 oz. - had the most trouble > breathing at birth, most = > trouble with feeding, septicemia at 10 days, > small bleed, slightly = > enlarged ventricles. Perfectly healthy > today.=20 > Joseph weighing in at 2 lbs even, did best of > the 3 at birth - least = > problems breathing, started feeds first, etc. > Sustained most brain damage = > in utero - ultimately died of complications at > 20 months.=20 > Anthony was my biggest baby at 3 lbs. 2 oz. Had > trouble with apnea but = > otherwise stabilized fairly quickly. Massive > brain bleed from prematurity = > resulting in extensive PVL and ultimately > diagnosed with spastic quad CP. = > He should be much worse off than he is though. > Typical 4 year-old, no = > seizures, no concurrent medical issues > whatsoever now (outgrew reflux by 9 = > months).=20 > > We have friends whose twins were born at 24 > weeks - one twin was 3+ lbs., = > the other a little over 1 lb. The larger twin > died of pre-maturity = > complications at about a month of age; the > smaller twin turned 5 last = > weekend. We went to her birthday party - Bobby > has a hard time keeping up = > with her. :-) > Other friends we know: first child - full term, > typical pregnancy, good = > birth weight, no apparent reason for the > child's CP (she's in Anthony's = > class). Their second and third children were > both more than 6 weeks early = > - perfectly healthy and typical! > Our babysitter, 17 years old (honours student, > plays volleyball and rugby) = > was born at 24 weeks and weighed only 2 lbs. > > You just can't tell. I'm sure if we polled the > list, there are no common = > "causes" for CP. Even pre-maturity and very low > birth weight doesn't = > necessarily mean anything. I agree that there > will be more babies "saved" = > in the future but I don't know if the incidence > of complications or the = > severity of those complications will > necessarily go up.=20 > > Just my thoughts. :-) > > Yvonne > Mommy to triplets: > Bobby (nda); Anthony (moderate spastic quad > CP);=20 > and our Angel Joey {Apr.14/97 - Dec.31/98} > (severe CP with many medical = > complications...)=20 > Ottawa, CANADA > > =20 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Greetings - send holiday greetings for Easter, Passover http://greetings.yahoo.com/