Cerebral palsy involves a number of complex neurological disorders that can range in severity from minor motor skill dysfunction to involuntary movement and seizures.  Cerebral palsy is caused by lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain.  Additional causes include asphyxia, premature delivery, infection, and head trauma.  It is estimated that 70% of children with cerebral palsy developed it because of an event before birth that interfered with normal brain development.

About 80% of people with cerebral palsy have a form classified as spastic cerebral palsy. Symptoms are one or more tight muscle groups which limit movement, stiff and jerky movements, difficulty moving from one position to another, and having a difficult time holding onto objects or letting go of objects.

Athetoid cerebral palsy accounts for about 10% of cases and symptoms include inability to maintain posture, involuntary movements, slurred speech, low muscle tone and problems swallowing.  Another form of cerebral palsy is ataxic cerebral palsy and symptoms include shakiness or tremors, problems coordinating muscle movements, and walking with the legs far apart.

Currently there is no cure for cerebral palsy and no two cases of cerebral palsy will be exactly the same; therefore treatments and therapy may differ from child to child to fit their specific needs. Treatment options include physical therapy, speech and language therapy, drug therapy, and surgery. This treatment may be necessary for the lifetime of the person with the disorder.

Cerebral palsy may be caused by medical malpractice.   It can happen in situations where a doctor fails to perform a C-section when necessary, or the failure to plan in advance for a cesarean section when the baby is too large to pass through the birth canal.  It can also be caused by the negligence of a doctor through trauma inflicted during birth.  Cerebral palsy is not always diagnosed right away.  Most symptoms present themselves by the time the child turns 3 years old.  A delay in diagnosis creates a challenge for families whose children develop cerebral palsy as a result of medical malpractice because of the statute of limitations creating a time limit for filing a medical malpractice claim. This is one of many reasons why parents who think their children’s cerebral palsy may have resulted from medical malpractice need to contact an experienced cerebral palsy lawyer such as Dr. Bruce Fagel.  Dr. Fagel is not only a leading cerebral palsy attorney, but a licensed medical doctor as well.

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