Cerebral Palsy

The term "Cerebral Palsy" refers to a brain injury that can occur during the labor delivery of a child. It is often a result of decreased oxygen to the child's brain. There are many conditions that can cause cerebral palsy, including pressure on the umbilical cord and problems delivering the child through the birth canal.

The physician and nurse monitor the well-being of the baby by listening to and observing the pattern of the child's heartbeat. Often, the physician will make the decision to speed the delivery by performing a cesaerian section on an emergency basis.

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe several permanent brain disorders that can affect a child's ability to use motor skills and or perform mental functioning.

Approximately 500,000 people in the United States have cerebral palsy of one form or another. Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed in 8,000 infants and almost 1,500 preschool-age children annually. The three main types of Cerebral Palsy (CP) are Spastic CP, Athetoid CP, and Mixed CP.

Spastic CP is presented with excess muscle tone or tightness. Leg, arm, and/or back movement is stiff. Awkward leg movement is common. Spastic CP is the most common form of Cerebral Palsy.

Athetoid (dyskinetic) CP can affect the entire body. Athetoid CP often presents itself with uncontrolled, slower body movement. Lack of sufficient muscle tone makes sitting straight and walking difficult.

Mixed CP is a combination of both Spastic CP and Athetoid CP. Children with mixed CP have muscles with varying amounts of muscle tone, making them too loose or too tight, resulting in involuntary movements coupled with stiffness.

In people with Cerebral Palsy, messages traveling between brain and muscle are not correctly interpreted. Effects of Cerebral Palsy may change over time, even though CP is not progressive in nature. Cerebral Palsy is not a disease and also not an illness. CP is a physical impairment that affects physical movement of the body. Motion problems associated with CP can range from mild to more severe. Each patient's case of CP is unique and presents differing symptoms.

The diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy is often made within the first three years of life. Parents are often the first to notice that their child is developing much more slowly than normal. Diagnosing cerebral palsy may require the doctor to order lab tests to rule out other diseases like leukodystrophy or Tay-sachs disease. Cerebral palsy may present as delayed developmental milestones or abnormal muscle tone.

Evidence that your child has one or more signs mentioned above will not necessarly lead to a positive diagnosis for cerebral palsy. Many children with one or more of the above signs do not develop CP. In order to determine the correct diagnosis, doctors look at medical history for additional evidence of the disease.

These signs include:

  • Breech presentation or birth
  • Complicated Labor and/or Delivery
  • Low Apgar score
  • Premature Birth
  • 2 or more births
  • Nervous system abnormalities

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If you suspect that your child has Cerebral Palsy as a result of the negligence of a doctor or other healthcare provider, contact us online or call Theodoros & Rooth at (219) 769-6393, to talk to a lawyer about your potential case today.