Cerebral palsy is caused by which of the following conditions?

• A. Bacterial infection after birth
• B. Autoimmune disease of the brain
• C. Lack of oxygen to the brain during development
• D. Vitamin deficiency

Answer: (C)

Cerebral palsy happens when the brain is injured or doesn’t develop normally before birth or around the time of birth, often due to insufficient oxygen reaching the brain during development. This early hypoxic injury disrupts the brain areas that control movement, leading to lasting, non-progressive motor impairment. The other options don’t match how CP typically arises: a bacterial infection after birth would cause problems later rather than the early, non-progressive motor changes seen in CP; autoimmune brain disease isn’t the usual mechanism for CP; and vitamin deficiencies can cause neurological issues but aren’t the defining cause of cerebral palsy.