For any parent, learning that your child has cerebral palsy can be difficult to comprehend. You never want to think that your child will suffer from potential complications and experience challenging aspects of life before they even have a chance to live it.
However, while many babies suffer from some form of cerebral palsy, there are often times where it takes a few years for symptoms to develop. It’s important for parents to recognize some of the early signs of cerebral palsy so you can better understand medical and legal options.
Understanding Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex neurological disorder that affects movement, muscle tone, and posture. It is caused by damage to the developing brain—often occurring before or during birth—although it can also result from brain injuries in early childhood.
There are several types of cerebral palsy, each characterized by different movement patterns and symptoms.
- Spastic: Characterized by stiff muscles and difficulty with movement
- Dyskinetic: Involves uncontrolled, involuntary movements
- Ataxic: Affects balance and coordination
- Mixed: Combines characteristics of different types
Understanding the causes and types of CP is essential for anyone new to the topic.
What to Look For
There are certain milestones (both mentally and physically) that your child should be hitting at certain ages. While missing those milestones by a few months may not be an immediate sign of concern, you want to take into account the potential problems that may arise down the road. Here are some age specific things you want to keep an eye on to help detect potential issues.
- Under 6 Months of Age: Some of the early signs of potential problems can include your baby being unable to hold up his or her head when picked up. They may have certain parts of their body that feel stiff or there is no muscle tone. The baby may also overextend his or her neck or back when picked up and held.
- After 6 Months of Age: You’ll want to watch your baby carefully as this is the time he or she should start to roll over and bring their hands to their mouth. If they’re experiencing from CP, they may have trouble doing both of these, as well as bringing their hands together. They may also reach out with just one hand and keep their other hand balled into a fist.
- After 10 Months of Age: Your baby may exhibit signs such as crawling in an abnormal or lopsided manner. This can include pushing with his or her left hand and right leg, but the right hand and left leg are dragging. They may scoot or hop on their buttocks or knees rather than crawling. It may also be a problematic sign if your baby cannot stand, even when they have some support.
Role of Medical Professionals During Delivery
During childbirth, medical professionals play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of both the mother and the baby. Decisions made during delivery can have a significant impact on the likelihood of cerebral palsy. Proper monitoring of the mother and the baby’s vital signs, as well as timely intervention in case of complications, can help prevent brain injuries that may lead to CP.
Key conditions and complications that require vigilant monitoring and timely intervention include:
- Fetal Distress: This is indicated by abnormal fetal heart rate patterns, which may require interventions such as oxygen administration or emergency cesarean section.
- Umbilical Cord Problems: Conditions such as umbilical cord prolapse can cut off the baby’s oxygen supply, necessitating immediate delivery.
- Placental Abruption: Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus can lead to severe oxygen deprivation for the baby.
- Prolonged Labor: Extended labor can increase the risk of oxygen deprivation and other complications, sometimes requiring medical interventions like forceps delivery or cesarean section.
- Preeclampsia: This is a condition characterized by high blood pressure in the mother, which can restrict blood flow to the baby and necessitate early delivery.
- Infections: Maternal infections during delivery can also increase the risk of brain damage to the baby if not promptly treated.
Proper training and adherence to best practices are essential for medical professionals to make quick, informed decisions during delivery, significantly reducing the risk of CP.
Know Your Legal Rights
When parents suspect that their child’s cerebral palsy was caused by medical negligence during childbirth, they have legal options to pursue compensation for their child’s injuries and related expenses. Medical negligence refers to a healthcare provider’s failure to provide a standard level of care, resulting in harm to the patient.
To pursue a legal claim for medical negligence related to cerebral palsy, parents must show:
- Proof of Negligence: This refers to evidence that the healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.
- Causation: Documentation is required that directly links the healthcare provider’s negligence to the child’s cerebral palsy. This may include medical records, expert testimony, and other relevant evidence.
- Damages: The physical, emotional, and financial impact of cerebral palsy on the child and the family must be proven. This includes medical bills, therapy costs, future care expenses, and the pain and suffering endured.
Navigating a medical negligence claim can be complex and challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. Our Chicago birth injury lawyers are here to help. Trust Beam Legal Team to be your advocates during a difficult time. We’ll work to prove medical negligence and show that you deserve justice for the actions performed by a doctor that led to your baby suffering.
Originally published September 26, 2019.
