About Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is characterized by diverse conditions that cause different levels of motor skill impairment and mental dysfunction in children. Patients have difficulty with daily tasks, like moving and hearing, because of the damage to their nerves, tendons, muscles, and bones.
Effects of cerebral palsy include:
- Involuntary movements: Abnormal muscle control can result in involuntary or slow movements. This can lead to uncontrollable movements of the extremities and difficulty balancing
- Speech problems: Those who have cerebral palsy often find it challenging to control the muscles in their mouth and tongue. Aside from impacting your speech, this side effect can create difficulty swallowing and problems eating.
- Seizures: This side effect is one of the more potentially dangerous conditions associated with cerebral palsy. Seizures can occur early on or later in your child’s life.
- Learning disabilities: Learning to do certain tasks, such as reading and writing, can be difficult for those suffering from cerebral palsy. Victims of this disorder are at a greater risk of having learning and developmental difficulties.
While the effects of cerebral palsy cannot be reversed, they can often be effectively controlled with medication, therapy, and even surgery. However, cerebral palsy can also lead to a diminished quality of life, and long-term, or even life-long, treatment. This need for higher-priced medical care can put family members in a difficult situation.
What is a birth injury?
Unlike a birth defect, which is often genetic, a birth injury occurs when medical professionals fail to provide an acceptable standard of care and allow for a newborn to become injured during labor or delivery. Contributing factors may include:
- Undetected maternal infection
- Failure to determine the proper due date
- Oxygen deprivation during or after delivery
- Failure to respond to fetal distress
No matter what the cause, if your child’s injury was the result of medical negligence, you have a right to seek compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, long-term health care, and more.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy in Infants
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, it is important to know that many cases are preventable. We at Walner Law have dealt with many birth injury cases that have been linked to a child’s cerebral palsy.
The common causes of this type of birth injury include:
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
- Oxygen deprivation (asphyxia) before, during, or shortly after birth
- Intrauterine exposure to drugs or alcohol
- Jaundice
- Hemorrhaging in your child’s brain
- A mother’s infection or illness
- The child suffering a fall, knock, or accident after birth
- The child suffering significant illness after birth
The early warning signs of cerebral palsy are typically apparent by the time your child is 18 months old. One indication is delayed development, such as difficulty swallowing, rolling over, and crawling. Abnormal muscle tone is another indicator. This can be identified by unusual postures, such as a too-relaxed appearance, or favoring one side of the body.
Contact Our Experienced Chicago Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
The Chicago cerebral palsy lawyers at Walner Law® can help you win the maximum compensation your family deserves for your child’s birth injury. You can start by sitting with our birth injury lawyers for a free consultation to break down your medical malpractice claim, and we’ll show you your legal options. Remember, our attorneys don’t get paid unless you win your case!
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