What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a general term encompassing a group of disorders that affect the ability of a person to coordinate body movements and maintain balance. Cerebral palsy does not occur due to problems with muscles or nerves themselves, rather it is the result of damage to the section of the brain that controls muscle tone and movement. The damage to the brain can occur during the development of the fetus, during the birth of the child, or within a short period of time after the child is born. It is estimated that between 15-20 cases of cerebral palsy develop out of every 10,000 births in the United States. Overall, there are approximately 500,000 people in the United States who have cerebral palsy.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Some cases of cerebral palsy arise because of an injury to the brain occurring during the birth process. The infant may suffer a brain injury due to a lack of oxygen. In some cases, it may be medical malpractice that has lead to the brain injury that is the cause of the cerebral palsy. The doctor or medical staff may fail to recognize that a caesarean section should have been performed due to the baby's size, or because of difficulties arising during the labor. Leaving the baby in the birth canal for a long period of time may result in a lack of oxygen getting to the brain. The umbilical cord may also become wrapped around the infant's neck during the birth process, cutting off the supply of oxygen to the brain. Most cases of cerebral palsy are the result of a brain injury occurring before birth. Infections and malnutrition suffered by the mother, and physical trauma to the mother or fetus may be risk factors for brain injury before birth. Children are also susceptible to brain injury shortly after birth. After the child is born, bacterial meningitis, infection, and jaundice in the infant may lead to cerebral palsy if not properly treated. The prenatal health of the mother and the postnatal condition of the infant need to be carefully monitored in order to help limit the risk factors for brain injury leading to cerebral palsy.
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Effects of Cerebral Palsy
The symptoms of cerebral palsy normally appear before age three. Infants suffering from cerebral palsy normally miss certain developmental milestones, such as learning to crawl or walk on time. Cerebral palsy symptoms range from mild to severe and may include difficulty with balance, involuntary movements, muscle rigidity or spasticity, and difficulty with fine motor skills. Cerebral palsy is broken down into four main classifications: spastic, athetoid, ataxic, and mixed. The majority of children, approximately 70-80%, who are diagnosed with cerebral palsy suffer from spastic cerebral palsy. This form of cerebral palsy causes the children to have increased muscle stiffness and can affect either both legs or both arms (diplegia), one side of the body (hemiplegia), or the whole body (quadriplegia) in severe cases. Athetoid and ataxic cerebral palsy are both less common than spastic cerebral palsy. Mixed cerebral palsy refers to those children who suffer from symptoms of more than one type of cerebral palsy. The most common combination is spastic and athetoid. Some children who suffer from cerebral palsy may also suffer from additional afflictions due to the brain injury including seizures, vision problems, speech difficulties, and mental retardation.
Cerebral Palsy Treatment
There is no cure at this time for the brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy. Treatment is available to help children improve their ability to function normally and the treatment varies with the severity of the symptoms suffered. Some children may require the use of a wheel chair and depend on lifelong care and assistance, while others may need limited assistance or none at all. Cerebral palsy patients utilize various aids including physical therapy, speech therapy, surgery, medication, and vision and hearing aids, in order to help them function independently.
Questions and Consultations
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy or a similar birth injury, or if you are interested in more information on birth injury litigation, please fill out the short evaluation form below and a member of Seeger Weiss LLP’s experienced staff will call you to discuss your potential rights concerning cerebral palsy. Attorney consultations incur no obligation on your part and all initial consultations are free of charge and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Seeger Weiss LLP has office locations in both New York and New Jersey and its attorneys practice in courts throughout the country.
Link To Lawyer Seek's Cerebral Palsy Content:
<a href='http://www.lawyerseek.com/Practice/Medical-Injury-C19/Cerebral-Palsy-P118/'>Cerebral Palsy: Lawyer Seek</a> |
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