Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders usually caused by brain abnormalities early in a child’s development or during delivery. The disorders affect muscle coordination, body movement and brain functioning. Most children who are born with cerebral palsy may not display symptoms until months or years later.
There are three types of cerebral palsy:
- Spastic cerebral palsy – stiff muscles with jerky movement
- Athetoid cerebral palsy – uncontrolled movements, writhing
- Ataxic cerebral palsy – poor balance and coordination
- Also, a mixed type of cerebral palsy can occur, which is a mix of the different types of cerebral palsy.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is usually caused by non-progressive brain abnormalities in the part of the brain that control muscle function (“non-progressive” means that the brain abnormality does not cause ongoing brain degeneration). The brain damage associated with cerebral palsy can occur during pregnancy or during the birth delivery process, when the physician or a member of the birth delivery team delays the delivery or fails to monitor for potential fetal distress.
Medical-Legal Issues Involved In Cerebral Palsy Lawsuits
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, there may be a connection between the improper pre-natal or birth delivery care and the development of this condition. In order to determine if there is a viable case to pursue, it must be established that the negligence of the physicians or medical staff are responsible for the development of the child’s cerebral palsy.
The evaluation process requires consultation with specialists such as obstetricians and neurologists to review the medical records. If the consulting physicians believe there is evidence to support a claim, a medical malpractice lawsuit may then be pursued.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers understands the frustration and anger parents feel, knowing that their child’s cerebral palsy is due to a physician’s error. You can be assured that Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers has the experience, resources and commitment to pursue all responsible parties to see that your child receives compensation for all elements of damages as set forth by the applicable laws.
Our sister site, Cerebral Palsy Lawyers FAQ, remains one of the more comprehensive sources of information on: cerebral palsy diagnosis, cerebral palsy treatment options, and inspirational stories on people with CP
Related material from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers:
As a lawyer, who litigates birth injury cases, I’ve noticed that there is still quite a bit of confusion about c-section deliveries. I’ve noticed that many doctors fail to adequately explain the procedure to their patients and many times is is done so during a particularly stressful time— like when the woman is in labor!!
Why are they needed? Are there risks to mother or baby?….
A recently filed birth injury lawsuit alleges that an Illinois hospital and attending doctor are to blame for the brain injury to a child during the delivery process. In the lawsuit, the child’s parents allege that their daughter was born with hypoxic brain injury due to the negligence of physician and hospital staff during the delivery process.
Specifically, the medical malpractice lawsuit accuses the hospital and doctor of rupturing membranes in the child’s head during the delivery process and further inadequate care by failing to timely perform a C-section when the vital signs indicated that the infant was in distress….
Within the first few moments babies are pulled from the womb doctors administer the first test of their young lives. Known as an Apgar score, doctors use the scale to evaluate each infants physical condition — and determine if there are any deficiencies that require additional medical attention— or that need to be monitored.
Doctors usually will perform an Apgar test on the baby within the first few minutes of birth, with a follow-up to test to be given shortly thereafter or as necessary….
Generally when doctors advise people with cerebral palsyon ways to increase their quality of life, they mostly consider medical procedures. Whether it’s a surgery, more physical therapy, or a new piece of equipment, cerebral palsy patients are used to medicalized treatments. While these therapies are very important, there is another form of therapy that can be equally as important: the power of encouragement.
Due to the physical limitations cerebral palsy can inflict on a person, it can become easy to develop feelings of depression or apathy. That is why it is so important to give inspiration, and work to empower family members with cerebral palsy to take control of their life….
Cerebral palsy related to genetic abnormalities is not preventable, but a few of the risk factors for congenital cerebral palsy can be managed or avoided. For example, rubella, or German measles, is preventable if women are vaccinated against the disease before becoming pregnant. Rh incompatibilities can also be managed early in pregnancy. But there are still risk factors that can’t be controlled or avoided in spite of medical intervention.
For example, the use of electronic fetal monitoring machines to keep track of an unborn baby’s heartbeat during labor, and the use of emergency cesarean section surgery when there are significant signs of fetal distress, haven’t lowered the numbers of babies born with cerebral palsy. Interventions to treat other prenatal causes of cerebral palsy, such as therapies to prevent prenatal stroke or antibiotics to cure intrauterine infections, haven’t yet been proven to lower the risk of cerebral palsy in vulnerable infants….
The signs of cerebral palsy usually appear in the early months of life, although specific diagnosis is usually delayed until later. Parents are often the first to suspect that their baby’s motor skills aren’t developing normally. Infants with cerebral palsy frequently have developmental delay, in which they are slow to reach developmental milestones such as learning to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk. Some infants with cerebral palsy have abnormal muscle tone as infants. Decreased muscle tone (hypotonia) can make them appear relaxed, even floppy. Increased muscle tone (hypertonia) can make them seem stiff or rigid. In some cases, an early period of hypotonia will progress to hypertonia after the first 2 to 3 months of life. Children with cerebral palsy may also have unusual posture or favor one side of the body when they move.
Parents who are concerned about their baby’s development for any reason should contact their pediatrician. A doctor can determine the difference between a normal lag in development and a delay that could indicate cerebral palsy….