What Exactly is Cerebral Palsy?

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

What Exactly is Cerebral Palsy?

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

One of the most serious and commonly misunderstood health problems is cerebral palsy. It’s believed that cerebral palsy is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain during labor or childbirth, as a result of medical malpractice. Unfortunately cerebral palsy affects children’s entire lives as well as their families. The condition is comprised of several neurological disorders that prevent proper muscle coordination and motor function. Although it’s a “non-progressive” condition—meaning that it will not get worse over time—cerebral palsy is debilitating to people who have it.

There are several different types of cerebral palsy, with different causes and symptoms depending on the affected individual.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

Although it can occur later in childhood, most have had it since birth. Trauma at birth and premature delivery are other possible causes, which in turn result from negligence of medical policies. Here are some more specific causes:

• Failing to detect prolapsed umbilical cords
• Failing to accurately monitor a fetus’s heart rate before and during birth
• Failing to discover and effectively treat dangerous infections affecting the mother before birth
• Delaying the planning and performance of necessary cesarean section procedures
• Neglecting to take proper patient safety measures during delivery

Different Types and Associated Symptoms

There are three main types of cerebral palsy, each of which carries a set of detectable symptoms:

• Spastic cerebral palsyaffects approximately 80% of people with the cerebral palsy. Symptoms include difficulty moving and manipulating objects, because of muscle constriction.
• Ataxic cerebral palsy comprises about 10% of cerebral palsy patients. The associated symptoms include difficulty with depth perception, tremors, distorted sense of balance, and trouble with muscle coordination.
• Athetoid cerebral palsy accounts for about 10% of cases, with symptoms such as slurred speech, trouble with swallowing, involuntary movement, low muscle tone and difficulty maintaining posture.

Cerebral palsy and other birth injuries caused by medical malpractice should receive immediate legal attention. Contact a personal injury attorney for cases involving irresponsible medical staff, and get the compensation you deserve.