Periventricular leukomalacia is a type of brain damage that impacts the white matter of the organ. As a result, the cells in this white matter either decay or actually die. Where the white matter used to be, the brain is simply left empty, allowing fluid to build up. It’s estimated that amongst children who have periventricular leukomalacia, roughly 60-100% of them will also develop cerebral palsy. The majority of the time, periventricular cerebral palsy is the kind that appears. Though less common, there is also a chance that quadriplegia cerebral palsy will develop in those who have suffered periventricular leukomalacia.
Causes of Periventricular Leukomalacia
There are two primary causes that lead to periventricular leukomalacia. Damage done to the cells of the infant’s periventricular tissue in their brain and a lack of blood are usually the culprits. Furthermore, babies who are born prematurely have a heightened risk of periventricular leukomalacia, especially if they come out before 32 weeks gestation. Sadly, premature babies also face the highest risk of fatalities if they develop periventricular leukomalacia. However, other conditions can lead to periventricular leukomalacia as well. These include:- Umbilical cord inflammation
- Having twins
- Difficulties with the placental blood vessel
- Antepartum hemorrhage
- Chorioamnionitis
- Lack of oxygen to the periventricular region of the brain
- Illnesses like sepsis where bacteria enters the bloodstream
Signs and Symptoms Associated with Periventricular Leukomalacia
Periventricular leukomalacia can be a tough disorder to diagnose because it so closely mimics other medical conditions. It’s especially hard to detect when an infant is under six-months old. Even after this age, infants don’t show a lot of outward signs that can be used for a diagnosis. That being said, there are still a number of symptoms to look out for:- Impaired vision
- Hearing problems
- Intellectual and/or cognitive difficulties
- Trouble with coordination