What Proactive Steps Can Doctors Take to Prevent Cerebral Palsy?

There are many ways in which a doctor’s actions can directly lead to a child’s cerebral palsy. These include improper use of medical devices during delivery that can lead to a brain injury that eventually results in cerebral palsy. However, the doctor’s role is to be protective and proactive about the health of a pregnant woman and her unborn child. This is important because woman’s past medical history can reveal a lot of critical information that can help doctor create the right birthing plan, pregnancy treatments, and other important things.

We believe that the doctor must be proactive in anticipating possible problems in order to prevent them in time. Having said that, it is also important to bear in mind that the past should not be the sole and immediate indicator of a child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis.

During pregnancy, a variety of conditions can emerge that can impact the health of the mother and the fetus. High blood pressure and gestational diabetes are two such factors that can arise and affect the pregnancy directly. A doctor should take every possible step to minimize the impact of these challenges. In response to these conditions, medical professionals may decide to start a treatment regimen that takes into account all the methods that can limit the impact of these conditions on both the mother and the baby. In the absence of proper treatment, medical conditions such as those mentioned above can lead to brain injury in the child, and eventually cause cerebral palsy. However, with proper and timely treatment cerebral palsy may be preventable.

The most important aspect of proactive efforts that a medical professional should make is the safe and timely delivery of a baby showing signs of fetal distress. In case the labor is going on for too long and may affect the health of the mother or child, and when the fetal monitor shows that the baby is in distress the medical professional should order or perform a timely C-section to avoid any damage that may result from the lack of oxygen.

Failure to act in a timely manner can lead to the development of a variety of complications that can result in brain injury and subsequent cerebral palsy diagnosis. Therefore, the role of a doctor extends much beyond providing treatment for clearly evident problems. It is also about being proactive in identifying potential problems and managing them in a way that they do not cause any complications that can cause long term problems including cerebral palsy.

If you think that your doctor failed in his duty to provide proper medical care and treatment to you and your child, and it lead to your child’s cerebral palsy, you may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party. Contact an experienced birth injury attorney Chicago Willens at Willens Law Office for a free and private consultation. Call (312) 957-4166 today.