Seattle Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
Cerebral Palsy
One of the most well-known birth injuries is Cerebral Palsy (CP), a birth injury with no known cure. Here's what you need to know about this common - and debilitating - birth injury:
Who gets cerebral palsy?
Studies indicate that nearly 2.5 infants per 1,000 live births are affected by cerebral palsy.
Nearly five percent of all cases of CP occur during the birthing process, though cerebral palsy can also occur during pregnancy (approximately 75 percent of all cases) and after birth until age 3 (approximately 15 percent of all cases). More male babies than female ones suffer from cerebral palsy.
What causes cerebral palsy?
Up to 80 percent of cerebral palsy cases are of unknown origin. However, known causes of cerebral palsy include head trauma during labor or early childhood, restricted oxygen flow during childbirth, malnutrition, or infection within or outside of the womb. The disorder inherits its name from the cerebrum, an area of the brain that affects the body's motor control systems. Cerebral palsy seems to affect more premature infants, and low birth weight is a factor in cerebral palsy risk for infants.
What does cerebral palsy do to infants and children?
Though cerebral palsy has many different manifestations, it primarily affects the body's motor cortex, causing impaired coordination and muscle function. Spasms, involuntary reflexes such as spasticity, and other "tics" are common in CP patients; so are deformities in the body's bones and muscles. In addition to the musculoskeletal and motor ramifications of cerebral palsy, secondary conditions such as speech disorders, epilepsy or seizures, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, and learning disabilities are common.
Can cerebral palsy be cured?
At this time, there is no cure for cerebral palsy. However, the disorder is not progressive - it does not worsen over time, though Cerebral Palsy symptoms can change over the lifetime of a patient. Degrees of severity vary from case to case, as does the potential for the cerebral palsy patient to live a productive and ambulatory life. Cerebral palsy patients. are susceptible to early onset of osteoporosis and arthritis. In addition, CP is one of the most expensive of the developmental disabilities, costing an average of nearly $1 million to manage and treat over a child's lifetime.
What if my child has cerebral palsy?
Improper medical management of pregnancy and childbirth (birth injury or trauma) can contribute to or even cause cerebral palsy. If your child was born with CP, you could qualify to file a civil lawsuit against the medical practitioner who bears responsibility for your child's disability. The Washington Cerebral Palsy lawyers at the Bernard Law Group have years of experience successfully representing cerebral palsy victims and their parents in court. Call today for a free consultation - you could have a valid cerebral palsy lawsuit.
IF YOUR CHILD HAS SUFFERED FROM A SERIOUS BIRTH INJURY, CALL TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION!
