Cerebral Palsy Cases: Helping Parents Following a Birth Injury
Lynn C. Harris is one of the leading attorneys in the Salt Lake City area, helping countless clients and their loved ones following serious accidents and medical mistakes. When a doctor or OB-GNY's mistakes result in lasting harm to a baby, a birth injury lawsuit can be filed to hold that negligent medical professional responsible.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most well-known birth injuries, though many people are unclear on what it is and the problems it causes a child in life. Let's look at causes and risk factors of this condition and how a lawyer can help.
About Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy refers to a series of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood, often occurring as the result of serious injuries or illnesses during pregnancy, childbirth, infancy, or early childhood.
How Cerebral Palsy Affects a Child
Common signs, symptoms, and effects of cerebral palsy include:
- Problems with muscle tone and development
- Issues with muscle coordination and movement
- Tremors and involuntary movements
- Problems with motor skills
- Difficulty walking due to muscles or posture
- Problems with speaking and eating
- Delays in speech development
- Issues with making precise or fine movements
- Seizures
- Incontinence
Cerebral palsy can also affect a person's vision, hearing, and cognitive development. You can imagine the challenges a child can face for the rest of his or her life should they experience such a condition at an early age.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Some potential causes of cerebral palsy include:
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Infections During Pregnancy – An infection to the mother or her developing child during pregnancy can potentially affect the growth and development of a baby's brain, resulting in cerebral palsy.
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Illnesses Affecting a Newborn – A newborn who experiences a serious bacterial or viral infection
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Fetal Stroke – Issues with blood supply to a baby's brain during development can similarly have lasting effects on a child, resulting in cerebral palsy.
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Oxygen Deprivation – A serious matter to consider, particularly during childbirth, oxygen deprivation at an early age can result in a wide variety of problems later in life, cerebral palsy among them.
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Head Trauma at an Early Age – If a baby experiences head trauma or brain injury, the long-term results of the injury could be cerebral palsy.
Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy
There are several risk factors to consider with regard to cerebral palsy as well:
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Premature Birth – When a baby is born in fewer than 37 weeks, the risk of cerebral palsy is much higher.
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Low Birth Weight – When a baby weighs less than 5.5 pounds, his or her risk of cerebral palsy increases a great deal.
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Breech Births – Cerebral palsy is more likely if a baby is born feet first rather than head first, which typically leads to risk of oxygen deprivation.
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Multiple Births – When twins, triplets, and so on are born, the risk of cerebral palsy is increased as well.
How an Attorney Can Help You and Your Child
If your child experiences a serious injury or illness while in the womb, during childbirth, or during early infancy and this was the result of a medical professional's negligence, an attorney can help you hold that person accountable for their actions. Your attorney will provide you with all the information you need to seek a strong suit against the negligent doctor, seeking damages to address the challenges that you and your child will face in the years ahead.
Speak with Attorney Lynn C. Harris
For more information about your legal options following a serious birth injury, it's important that you contact a skilled personal injury attorney today. Lynn C. Harris is here to help you in your time of legal need.
