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Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP) describes a group of disorders associated with brain injuries that can occur during pregnancy, birth or shortly after birth. While the term Cerebral Palsy refers to several different conditions, the common characteristic is a difficulty with motor skills.

One out of every 303 children has Cerebral Palsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s the most common cause of motor disability in childhood. Cerebral Palsy is caused by inadequate blood flow to the brain or inadequate oxygen to the brain; this can result from a number of different factors. Some instances of Cerebral Palsy are caused by medical mistakes, and those fall under the umbrella of medical malpractice birth injuries.

During labor and delivery, doctors and nurses monitor the mother and baby to watch for distress signs. When monitoring is carefully performed, injuries, such as Brachial Plexus injuries, and Cerebral Palsy injuries can be minimized. But mistakes by medical professionals have the potential to lead to Cerebral Palsy, including:

  • Failure to accurately read fetal monitoring equipment;
  • Failure to diagnose fetal distress during labor;
  • Waiting too long to perform a Caesarean section (C-section);
  • Administering too much Pitocin.

Cerebral Palsy may result from brain damage during pregnancy or delivery and can be affected by a number of factors, including:

  • Maternal infection during pregnancy, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, and toxoplasmosis. These infections can cause damage to the nervous system of the developing fetus;
  • Severe, untreated jaundice, which can result in brain damage;
  • Rh incompatibility – a blood condition that causes the mother’s immune cells to attack the fetus, resulting in jaundice;
  • Oxygen shortage – If the oxygen supply to the brain is severely low at the time of birth, the infant may suffer brain damage;
  • Stroke – Mothers who suffer from blood coagulation disorders have an increased risk for stroke in the fetus;
  • Drug or alcohol use during pregnancy;
  • Prolonged bleeding in the infant’s brain shortly after birth;
  • Maternal kidney and urinary tract infections, which can lead to fetal brain damage.

Whether your child’s Cerebral Palsy developed during your pregnancy or after birth, it’s important to understand what may have caused this condition and whether it could have been prevented. While assigning responsibility won’t undo the damage your child has already suffered, recovering financial damages may assist in securing therapy and treatment for your child.

A medical malpractice attorney with experience in Cerebral Palsy claims can help evaluate the circumstances of your child’s injury. A lawyer will work with accredited medical experts to evaluate whether healthcare standards were met and provide you with your legal options.

If you have concerns about your child’s medical care, please contact Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. for a free, no-obligation consultation at 877.420.1269. Please keep in mind that there are strict deadlines for filing medical malpractice actions. The statute of limitations may be running on your claim, so time is of the essence.