Different Types of Cerebral Palsy Injuries

Cerebral palsy is one of the most common types of birth injuries. While the damage usually happens during birth, the effects last a lifetime. More than 500,000 people across the country have cerebral palsy, according to the United Cerebral Palsy Association.

Cerebral palsy is a general term for several chronic disorders that affect movement.  The symptoms usually appear soon after birth, or in the first few years of life. The effects of cerebral palsy range in severity and differ from one person to the next. While the condition may cause cognitive impairment in some people, this is not always the case.

The condition is not caused by problems in muscles or nerves, but by faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain that control movement and posture. Cerebral palsy may also cause some people to be more susceptible to other conditions such as seizure disorders, mental impairment, and vision or hearing problems.

What Causes a Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury?

While many people believe cerebral palsy is unavoidable, it is often the result of a medical mistake that caused a child to be deprived of oxygen during pregnancy, often while the mother was in labor. The lack of oxygen at this critical time can result from either an anoxic or a mechanical injury.

An anoxic injury is caused by a reduced oxygen supply, respiratory obstruction or inadequate respiratory movements during delivery.

A mechanical injury, such as a skull fracture, is caused by some sort of physical trauma during birth. Examples include the improper use of forceps, suction or other types of force to the baby’s head.

Here are some common physician mistakes that may cause cerebral palsy:

• Failing to perform a Cesarean section when the fetus is in distress
• Inadequate monitoring of the mother and child during pregnancy and labor
• Misinterpreting test results during pregnancy or failing to perform necessary tests
• Insufficient monitoring of women with high-risk conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, renal disease, lupus or thyroid disease

What Are the Effects of Cerebral Palsy?

The signs of a cerebral palsy birth injury usually appear before three years of age. When an infant or toddler does not reach typical developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling or walking, it could be a sign the child has cerebral palsy.

Here are some other common symptoms of a cerebral palsy birth injury:

• Difficulty with fine motor tasks such as writing, using scissors or picking up small objects
• Difficulty with gross motor activities such as walking and running
• Involuntary movements such as hand-wringing
• Decreased muscle tone (hypotonia) that causes a baby to appear “floppy”
• Increased muscle tone (hypertonia) that makes an infant seem stiff or rigid
• Unusual posture that may favor one side of the body
• Abnormal reflexes
• Early hand preference, usually during the first year
• Jerky or spastic movements

“We understand the emotional distress and financial hardship that families suffer when a birth injury occurs,” says Mark Bernstein of 1-800-MALPRACTICE. “The situation is worse when the injury was caused by a mistake that could have been avoided. If this has happened to your family, call us. Our experienced and compassionate birth injury lawyers are here to help.”

If your child or grandchild has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy or another type of birth injury, contact us as soon as possible. We will fight to win the compensation you and your family deserve.

Medical malpractice law is complicated, but finding the right lawyer is simple.

Call 1-800-MALPRACTICE today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Sources:

• http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/prevalence-and-incidence