Angela Onwuzoo
A Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Professor Edamisan Temiye, said babies who do not cry at birth may come down with cerebral palsy if not properly resuscitated.
According to him, birth asphyxia – failure of a baby to cry immediately after birth and jaundice in the first week of life are the two most common causes of cerebral palsy in Nigeria.
Prof. Temiye also said brain infection soon after birth could also cause cerebral palsy.
Birth asphyxia is defined by the World Health Organisation as a‘ failure to initiate and sustain breathing at birth.
The global health body says the condition is a major contributor to neonatal mortality worldwide causing 24 per cent of all neonatal deaths and 11 per cent of deaths of children under five years of age.
“Almost all asphyxia-related deaths (98 per cent) occur during the first week of life. About 75 per cent of such deaths occur on the first day and less than two per cent after 72 hours of birth”, WHO added.
The professor, who disclosed this during an interview with PUNCH Healthwise, noted that birth asphyxia is poorly managed when women deliver their babies in hospitals and facilities lacking maternal and child health experts.
The child health expert expressed worry that neonatal jaundice, which he said was completely preventable was still causing death and irreversible brain damage among newborns.
He reiterated that mismanaged neonatal jaundice could lead to brain damage and cerebral palsy, and warned mothers to desist from giving their babies antibiotics and local concoctions when they have jaundice as the condition, if mismanaged, can cause assault to the brain of the child.
The paediatrician said, “Some causes of cerebral palsy may be genetic but most are caused by what happened in our environment. Cerebral palsy is an assault on the brain. It could be caused by infection during birth or after birth.
“Birth asphyxia happens when the oxygen supply to the baby is cut off either before birth or immediately after birth, and if the baby was properly resuscitated, it can lead to brain damage. Brain infection soon after birth can also cause cerebral palsy.
“Sometimes, you will see some babies growing very normally at six months, nine months and then suddenly they no longer smile, crawl or walk; it means that the development has been arrested. It is because there is something wrong with the brain.
“If it is not diagnosed and treated well, it can lead to cerebral palsy. Any assault to a developing brain leading to damage and causing the brain not to develop normally is cerebral palsy.”
Prof. Temiye also identified jaundice as another common completely preventable cause of cerebral palsy in the country. Jaundice in the first week of life can lead to brain damage. Jaundice is so prevalent in our environment in the first week of life and it is usually mismanaged.
“Some mothers would buy antibiotics and prepare agbo and give to their babies with jaundice instead of taking them to the hospital for appropriate treatment”, he added.
The child specialist noted that neonatal jaundice cannot be treated with antibiotics or local concoctions.
The paediatrician said mothers should worry more about the development of their babies when they are not showing affection such as smiling during breastfeeding at the age of two months.
“By one and half months, that is when we start noticing there is a problem with a baby. The baby is supposed to smile and have a social smile. By six weeks of life, a baby is expected to smile when the mother is breastfeeding him or her. If the baby does not have a social smile and outward affection at this age, it means there is a problem with the brain.
“If by nine months, the baby is not crawling, there is a big problem and the parents should see a doctor”, he said.
He urged mothers to desist from acts and practices that are inimical to the normal growth and development of a child.
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