| Cerebral Palsy is often a term used to broadly cover | | | | coordination, poor balance, and an unusually wide gait. |
| a variety of neurological disorders affecting an | | | | This is the least common form of Cerebral Palsy. |
| individual's ability to control muscle function. Cerebral | | | | Cerebral Palsy Dyskinetic: Common symptoms include |
| palsy is characterized as chronic and non-progressive, | | | | floppy muscle tone, difficulty walking, difficulty sitting, |
| with assorted symptoms that differ from person to | | | | involuntary movements, difficulty eating, trouble with |
| person. The United Cerebral Palsy Foundation | | | | speech, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. |
| estimates that as many as eight hundred thousand | | | | These symptoms may worsen under stress, yet |
| children and adults in the United States live with some | | | | become completely unnoticeable while sleeping. |
| form of the condition. It is also estimated that nearly | | | | Mixed Cerebral Palsy: This form of the disorder can |
| ten thousand babies born in the United States will | | | | cause a mixture of symptoms including floppy and |
| develop Cerebral Palsy. (Statistic courtesy of The | | | | stiff muscle tone, and a wide range of dyskinetic |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Although | | | | movements. |
| some people are able to lead completely normal lives | | | | Children who experience symptoms usually also have |
| without the need for any major assistance, others | | | | other issues with cognition, behavior, sensations, |
| may never be able to care for themselves properly. | | | | communication, and perception. Other medical issues |
| For these people, the expense of managing their | | | | such as recurrences of pneumonia and seizures are |
| condition can be astronomical. | | | | common as well. |
| There are essentially three main causes of Cerebral | | | | Many infants and children who suffer with Cerebral |
| Palsy. In general, the condition is due to abnormal | | | | Palsy may have to be cared for by a professional |
| brain development or a brain injury in the area that | | | | over the course of their entire lifetime. This may |
| controls bodily movement. For years many physicians | | | | mean regular physical, speech, drug therapy, and |
| believed Cerebral Palsy was due to complications that | | | | surgical treatments to help improve or correct |
| occurred during labor and delivery. Today, however, | | | | abnormalities. These individuals may also require |
| there seem to more definitive causes. | | | | orthotic devices such as braces, walkers, wheelchairs, |
| The first reason Cerebral Palsy can occur is due to a | | | | and even specialized communication aids such as |
| congenital issue. This means the abnormal brain | | | | voice synthesizers. |
| development happened early on in the pregnancy, or | | | | If you believe your child's Cerebral Palsy was a result |
| that damage occurred to the white matter of the | | | | of medical negligence it is absolutely essential that |
| brain in later stages of pregnancy. It can also be a | | | | you meet with an experienced attorney that can |
| result of bleeding in the brain from a fetal stroke, and | | | | provide you with the assistance you need. These |
| or loss of oxygen to the brain during labor and | | | | attorneys are a type of personal injury lawyer who |
| delivery. | | | | know exactly how to go about obtaining the justice |
| A very small number of cases develop after the time | | | | you deserve. |
| of birth, but before the age of three. These cases | | | | Compensation can be significant and can include: |
| generally come about because of a traumatic brain | | | | current and future medical expenses, pain and |
| injury from an accident or abuse, or due to a severe | | | | suffering, financial loss, and emotional distress. In |
| illness such as meningitis. | | | | many cases, you may be entitled to punitive |
| The third, and most difficult cause of Cerebral Palsy | | | | damages as well. |
| to accept, is due to an issue that arose during the | | | | Your attorney will be able to determine the validity |
| birthing process from medical negligence. This means | | | | of your claim and make sure it meets the basic |
| that some action was taken by a member of the | | | | principles for trial. This means you must be able to |
| medical staff that could have or should have been | | | | prove the medical professional did not act |
| avoided, resulting in an injury to the brain. These | | | | appropriately (within a reasonable standard of care) |
| mistakes could have happened at some point during | | | | and that this failure resulted in the child developing |
| the pregnancy, during delivery, or even after delivery. | | | | Cerebral Palsy. |
| The symptoms can vary a great deal however there | | | | The process of filing this type of claim can be quite |
| are some key warning signs that you should be | | | | complicated. Your attorney knows exactly how to |
| aware of. These symptoms include: failure to reach | | | | see the process through the system, obtain all |
| key developmental milestones (such as walking or | | | | necessary medical records, interview medical |
| crawling), abnormal muscle tone (such as a floppy or | | | | professionals, collect all needed evidence, and arrange |
| stiff appearance), an early hand preference, or | | | | for expert witnesses to testify. Since these |
| persistent reflexes. In order to be sure of whether | | | | attorneys typically work on a contingency basis, you |
| or not your child has developed the condition a full | | | | pay nothing upfront. |
| medical exam needs to be carried out. This will be | | | | If you are still unsure of whether or not you should |
| able to completely eliminate other movement | | | | contact an attorney, consider these facts: The cost |
| disorders, or other types of medical conditions. It is | | | | of a lifetime of care for a child with Cerebral Palsy is |
| important to note, there are several forms of | | | | over $920,000. This figure is in addition to the |
| Cerebral Palsy, as explained below. | | | | expenses of a person who does not have the |
| Cerebral Palsy Spastic: Identifiable by awkward | | | | condition and does not include costs for emergency |
| movements and stiff muscle tone. Other possible | | | | room or hospital visits, residential care, and other |
| symptoms can include, trouble with speech, inability | | | | miscellaneous expenses. (Statistic courtesy of The |
| to eat, seizures, learning disabilities, weakness on one | | | | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) The |
| side of the body, and a "scissored gait". This type of | | | | monetary reward you may receive cannot repair the |
| Cerebral Palsy is the most common. | | | | damage that has occurred, but it can help to provide |
| Cerebral Palsy Ataxic: The most recognizable | | | | a positive future for you and your child. |
| symptoms of this form of the condition include poor | | | | |