PVL and CP

Are PVL and Cp considered the same thing? Is one worse than the other? My 12 month old son's mri report suggest that appearances are compatible with gliotic changes following periventricular leukomalacia and his neurologist diagnosed it as cerebral palsy and i dont really understand his mri that much but why would she diagnose him as cp and not pvl? Is she right or should i try to get another opinion? Please help, from a very overwhelmed mom. Thanks

[Dr San Miguel]

Hi. Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is characterized by the death of the white matter of the brain due to softening of the brain tissue. When the brain lacks blood and oxygen supply, the brain dies. Cerebral palsy is a consequence of PVL, which can explain their similarities of symptoms. The prognosis of PVL depends upon the severity of brain damage. Some children exhibit fairly mild symptoms, while others have significant deficits and disabilities. Treatment for PVL is symptomatic and supportive. Therefore, it is necessary that children with PVL should receive regular medical screenings to determine appropriate interventions. Hope this helps.