Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy

A risk factor is not a cause, it is a variable which, when present, increases the chance of something occurring. In other words, a risk factor for cerebral palsy is not a cause of cerebral palsy. It is a variable that could increase your child's chances of developing cerebral palsy. The presence of a risk factor does not mean cerebral palsy will occur, nor does the absence of a risk factor mean that cerebral palsy will not occur. If a risk factor is present, it should alert parents and health care professionals to be even more observant of the infant's development. Risk factors can be associated with the parents, as well as the child. The following are risk factors related to parents that can increase the risk of cerebral palsy: