There is nothing more frightening to a family expecting a newborn than to find out their baby may be born with a birth injury, or find out months or even years later that a birth injury happened but wasn’t noticed right away. Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders of the brain. Cerebral palsy, which occurs from a lack of oxygen to the brain of the baby during labor or after delivery, is one of the most severe injuries that can occur during the birth process. Cerebral palsy is not caused by muscle or nerve damage, but rather from abnormalities in the brain that control muscle movement.
The most common cause of cerebral palsy is a baby being born prematurely. Infants who are born in the range of 26 - 30 weeks gestational age have a much greater chance of developing cerebral palsy. Children who are born at term, which is more than 37 weeks, can also develop cerebral palsy, if the brain is deprived of a significant amount of oxygen, or what is known as hypoxia or asphyxia.
Any kind of Cerebral palsy, regardless of its type or severity can have life-long consequences to the baby and the family. The level of cerebral palsy can range from mild to severe. Children who develop cerebral palsy may require a lifetime of medical care and treatment. At this time, there is no cure for cerebral palsy.
Types of Cerebral palsy:
Spastic cerebral palsy: Approximately 80% of people with cerebral palsy have this type, making it the most common form. It is characterized by stiff or difficult movement.
Athetoid cerebral palsy: Around 10 percent of cerebral palsy victims have this form. It is characterized by uncontrollable or involuntary movements.
Ataxic cerebral palsy: This form of cerebral palsy is characterized by a distorted sense of balance and depth perception. Children with ataxic cerebral palsy have difficulty coordinating muscle movements, may be unsteady, and show signs of shakiness.
Tests for cerebral palsy include a full neurological examination, MRI Scans and CT scans of the head, EEG, blood tests, and vision and hearing tests. Although there isn’t a cure for cerebral palsy, there are treatments that can help the child better handle the disorder. The earlier cerebral palsy is detected and treatment begins, the better it will be for the child.
Treatment for cerebral palsy:
Surgery – surgery may help to reduce the spasticity or help improve the muscle development. Families should carefully research this decision before moving forward.
Drugs – there are drugs available that may help the cerebral palsy patient reduce or prevent seizures.
Physical therapy – physical therapy can help a cerebral palsy child develop and improve key motor skills in the major muscle groups of the body. This involves various exercises and movement routines.
Speech and language therapy – this helps a child develop control over the mouth and jaw, which can help them improve their speech and eating functions. The therapist can also help a child with severe speech impediment develop other ways to communicate as well.
Occupational therapy – involves improving the development and functioning of the smaller muscles of the body, including fingers, hands, toes, feet, and face.
If medical negligence was the cause of your child’s cerebral palsy, you should consult with the best cerebral palsy lawyer possible. The costs for a life time of medical care and resources for the child can be very expensive; therefore, if a doctor, nurse, or hospital was responsible for the injury to the baby, the family has a right to be compensated. One of the major problems a family may encounter when bringing forth a medical malpractice lawsuit, is the statute of limitations, which places a time limit on how long a family can wait to file a lawsuit. Since cerebral palsy symptoms may take months or even years to develop and since medical malpractice lawsuits are so complicated, it is critical that a family, who believes medical malpractice was the cause of the cerebral palsy, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney who specializes in cerebral palsy birth injuries right away.
If you believe your child’s cerebral palsy was the result
of medical malpractice, you may have a medical malpractice case. Contact the Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel & Associates at (800) 541-9376 today for a free consultation.
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