Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders of the brain. It is caused by abnormalities or injuries to the brain prior to childbirth, during childbirth, or post-childbirth. Although most cerebral palsy problems happen while the baby is in the womb, some happen during the first couple years of a baby's life, while the brain is still developing.
Cerebral palsy can occur from trauma or lack of oxygen to the brain. The most common cause of cerebral palsy is a baby being born prematurely. Babies 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.
Children who develop cerebral palsy may require a lifetime of medical care and treatment. The level of cerebral palsy can range from mild to severe. At this time, there is no cure for cerebral palsy.
There are several types of cerebral palsy, the most common form being spastic cerebral palsy, with an estimated 80% of cerebral palsy victims having this type. Common symptoms include tight muscles and joints, stiff movements, muscle weakness or paralysis, and awkward walking ability.
Approximately 10% of cerebral palsy cases involve athetoid cerebral palsy. This type involves involuntary movement, or uncontrollable movement, poor posture, and slurred speech.
Ataxic cerebral palsy involves a poor sense of balance and depth perception. Symptoms include unsteady or shaky walking, shaky movements and tremors.
Tests for cerebral palsy include a full neurological examination, CT scan and MRI scans of the head, EEG, vision and hearing tests, and blood tests. Even though there is no cure for cerebral palsy, there are treatments that can help the child or adult better cope with the disorder and function in their day to day lives. 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 malpractice was the cause of cerebral palsy, the parents should consult a leading cerebral palsy attorney. 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 birth injury, the family has a right to be compensated. However, one problem 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 complex, it is critical that a family, who believes medical negligence was the cause of the cerebral palsy, contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who specializes in cerebral palsy right away.
If you believe your child's cerebral palsy was caused by medical malpractice, you should contact the Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel & Associates right away. Dr. Bruce Fagel is both a leading medical malpractice attorney, specializing in cerebral palsy birth injuries, and a licensed medical doctor. If you have a case for medical malpractice, Dr. Fagel can help you recover the compensation necessary to provide the medical care your child will require for the rest of their life.
