How Medical Malpractice Causes Cerebral Palsy
When a family learns their newborn baby has cerebral palsy, or CP, their world turns upside down. While it is the most common childhood motor disability, many parents have more questions than answers, especially what causes cerebral palsy.
What is the definition of cerebral palsy?
Will my child require lifelong care?
Is it my doctor’s fault?
Here is what you need to know about CP and what causes cerebral palsy:
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Before we take a look at what causes cerebral palsy, here are some basic facts about the condition:
- Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of disorders that affect balance, movement and muscle tone.
- It is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the part of the brain that affects muscle control.
- Most people with cerebral palsy are born with it.
- Many children with cerebral palsy also have co-occurring conditions such as epilepsy and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- Cerebral palsy is more common among boys than girls.
- Symptoms vary widely, from someone who cannot walk at all to a person whose walk is only mildly affected. The condition may or may not impact speech and intellectual capacity.
- Most children (at least 77%) with CP have spastic cerebral palsy, which is characterized by stiff muscles.
- Researchers estimate as many as 4 out of every 1000 infants are born with cerebral palsy.
What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
Some infants are born with cerebral palsy that is caused by unforeseen circumstances, such as certain genetic conditions. However, many other infants with CP result from a medical mistake that causes cerebral palsy.
Here are some of the medical events that can damage the brain or disrupt its growth:
- Oxygen deprivation during labor and/or delivery
- Bleeding in the brain while the baby is in the womb, during birth or afterward
- Lack of blood flow to important organs
- Seizures at birth or in the first few weeks of life
- Traumatic brain injuries
How Medical Malpractice Causes Cerebral Palsy
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
- Improper handling of a breech birth
Early Warning Signs of Cerebral Palsy
Because cerebral palsy has such a wide range of symptoms, the warning signs can vary greatly. However, there are certain indicators that suggest a child may have the condition:
- Delay in reaching typical motor or movement milestones such as rolling over, sitting, standing or walking
- Excessive stiffness or “floppiness”
- Jerky or spastic movements
- Unusual posture that favors one side of the body
- Crawling in a lopsided manner, or using buttocks or knees instead of crawling on all fours
“Medical mistakes that cause cerebral palsy are not always obvious,” says Mark Bernstein of The Sam Bernstein Law Firm. “Our experienced malpractice lawyers will find the truth and fight for 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.
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