PAGADIAN
CITY – anchored on the theme “Sa Karapatang Natutulan, Tanaw Na ang
Magandang Kinabukasan,” the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA)
will spearhead this year’s celebration of the 9th Cerebral Palsy
Awareness and Protection (CPAP) Week set on September 16-22.
NCDA Acting Executive Director Carmen Zubiaga said the
celebration aims primarily to raise public awareness about cerebral palsy
throughout society.
Cerebral palsy is an abnormality of motor function (as opposed to mental function) and postural tone that is acquired at an early age, even before birth. Signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy usually show in the first year of life.
Studies proved, that the cause of cerebral palsy is
usually prenatal and not related to events at time of delivery, in most
instances it is related to events that happened during the pregnancy while the
fetus is developing inside the mother’s womb.
Premature birth is a risk factor for cerebral palsy.
The premature brain is at a high risk of bleeding and when severe enough, it
can result in cerebral palsy.
Medical experts revealed that children prematurely born can also develop serious respiratory distress due to immature and poorly developed lungs. This can lead to periods of decreased oxygen delivered to the brain that might result in cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy affects approximately one to three out
of every thousand children born. However, it is much higher in infants born
with very low weight and in premature infants.
Director Zubiaga urged all offices, agencies and
instrumentalities of the National Government including local government
officials and other organizations to
extend full support and cooperation by
conducting fitting activities for the celebration to attain its goal. (JPA/CAL/PIA9)