[vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_link_target="_self" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/2" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][vc_column_text]What is periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)?
PVL is a type of brain injury. Each part of the name
provides some information about the disorder:
• Peri (pear-ee): around
• Ventricular (ven-trick-yuh-ler): relating to
the ventricles (fluid-filled spaces in
the brain)
• Leuko (loo-koe): white matter, a type
of brain tissue
• Malacia (ma-lay-she-ah): softening
of a tissue
With PVL, some of the white matter (brain
tissue) near the ventricles is damaged. This creates
small “holes” in the brain that can affect
the nervous system.
What causes PVL?
There are multiple causes of PVL. Often, it is
caused by a change in blood flow to areas around
the ventricles. Talk to your baby’s doctor for
more details.
What are the risk factors for PVL?
Premature babies are more likely to have PVL
than full-term babies.
Other factors that can increase the risk for PVL are:
• Intraventricular [in-truh-ven-trick-yuh-ler] hemorrhage
(bleeding into the ventricles)
• Infection
How is PVL diagnosed?
PVL can be diagnosed using an imaging test, such as an ultrasound or MRI. PVL usually cannot
be seen until 4 to 8 weeks after birth. As a result, babies screened for PVL are typically at least
1 month old.
What are the symptoms of PVL?
Very few babies with PVL show any signs or symptoms as infants;
however, some babies may show signs of impaired vision, hearing
and coordination.
Does PVL cause permanent problems?
The long-term impact of PVL depends on how much brain
tissue is damaged.
• Many babies with PVL will have developmental delays.
• PVL may also increase the risk for motor disorders and
problems with vision, hearing, and coordination.
• PVL sometimes leads to movement and muscle disorders,
such as cerebral palsy.
What will happen next?
Babies with PVL should be followed by a general pediatrician
as well as a specially trained developmental pediatrician.
Treatment may include:
• Physical therapy
• Speech therapy
• Vision correction
Every baby is different. Talk to the health care team. They can
answer any questions you have about your baby.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_link_target="_self" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/2" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Glossary
Cerebral palsy – a group of brain
disorders that affect movement
and muscle coordination
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) – fluid
that surrounds the brain and
spinal cord
Intraventricular hemorrhage –
bleeding into the spaces in the
brain that are normally filled with
clear fluid
MRI – test that produces an image
of structures inside the body. MRI
machines do not use radiation
Ultrasound – test that uses
sound waves to create a picture
of structures inside the body
Ventricles – spaces inside the brain
that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_link_target="_self" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/1" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Glossary
Cerebral palsy – a group of brain
disorders that affect movement
and muscle coordination
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) – fluid
that surrounds the brain and
spinal cord
Intraventricular hemorrhage –
bleeding into the spaces in the
brain that are normally filled with
clear fluid
MRI – test that produces an image
of structures inside the body. MRI
machines do not use radiation
Ultrasound – test that uses
sound waves to create a picture
of structures inside the body
Ventricles – spaces inside the brain
that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_link_target="_self" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/1" tablet_width_inherit="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][/vc_column][/vc_row]