Cerebral Palsy is a disease that impacts many children. In fact, about 10,000 babies born each year will develop Cerebral Palsy. It is important to be aware of this condition and to know how to deal with it appropriately. Many people are unaware of the causes of cerebral palsy. There are two types of the illness that will be explored below:

Congenital Cerebral Palsy: This type of Cerebral Palsy is related to the brain damage that transpired before or during the child’s birth. Typically, between 75 – 85% of Cerebral Palsy cases transpire in this manner. Usually, the causes of this type of Cerebral Palsy include low birthrate, premature birth, multiple births, assisted reproductive technology (ART), infections during pregnancy, jaundice and kernicterus, medical conditions of the mother, and birth complications. Many times, a mistake by a physician or negligence can be responsible for a child contracting cerebral palsy.
Acquired Cerebral Palsy: This type of Cerebral Palsy is not nearly as common as Congenital Cerebral Palsy due to the fact that it is caused by an infection or head injury. Additionally, Acquired Cerebral Palsy can also be caused by a problem with blood flow to the brain. What is important to remember about Acquired Cerebral Palsy is that the child’s risk can be prevented by having proper vaccinations and having the required adult supervision to avoid unnecessary injuries that could lead to the onset of Acquired Cerebral Policy. Once again though, if you believe your child could have contracted acquired cerebral palsy as a result of a head injury due to a mistake by a physician, it’s important to contact an attorney.

How to Prevent Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a complicated disorder for infants because the causes of the main type of Cerebral Palsy (Congenital Cerebral Palsy) are still unknown even in this modern era. This means that very little can be done to prevent the disorder. Cerebral Palsy that is pertaining to genetics cannot be effectively prevented based on the current information that we possess today in the field of medical science. That being said, there are actions that people can take both before and during pregnancy as well as after giving birth that could substantially reduce the risk of developing Cerebral Palsy.
Before you get pregnant, it is important to visit your doctor and see whether you have any infections that could cause Cerebral Palsy and have them treated. Additionally, it is imperative that you get vaccinations for Chickenpox and Rubella before you consider getting pregnant. These diseases can be quite harmful to infants and have been linked to causing Cerebral Palsy. Lastly, it is best to try to prevent multiple pregnancies with twins or triplets in order to prevent Cerebral Palsy.
If you are already pregnant, there are still several viable ways to prevent Cerebral Palsy. The key to having a healthy pregnancy is to invest in your prenatal care. Many women struggle with prenatal care depending on their healthcare coverage, but it’s imperative that this isn’t ignored. When you are pregnant, it is imperative that you have regular doctor’s visits. If you follow the doctor’s instructions and take all of the required tests you perhaps could spot, and even prevent, the onset of Cerebral Palsy.
After your baby is born, it is still important to take preventative measures towards Cerebral Palsy. It is wise to read informative literature about how to keep your baby safe from Cerebral Palsy through having limited accidents. Additionally, it is important to watch out for jaundice. If you notice that your infant has jaundice, it is essential to take them to the doctor immediately because jaundice can cause Cerebral Palsy. Furthermore, be sure to vaccinate your infant against infections. Failure to do this could also put them at risk for having Cerebral Palsy. Lastly, injury prevention is the key to preventing Cerebral Palsy after birth. Thus, it is imperative that you proceed with caution when you have a new infant in your home.

Living with Cerebral Palsy

Typically, children who grow up with Cerebral Palsy have uneven vision, restricted dexterity, uneven muscle tone, uneven hearing, a slight limp while walking, and behavioral problems. It is important to remember if your child has Cerebral Palsy is that it is your duty to not treat them different simply because of their condition. Cerebral Palsy is truly a condition that affects the mind and perspective. Thus, if you treat your children as if they are normal, they will believe you and the signs of this disease will be greatly reduced. Many children can grow up to live very normal lives, but there will still be very obvious physical limitations and medical care will be more significant than the typical child. With that being said, it’s important to identify if your child contracted cerebral palsy from a doctor’s mistake as your child may be entitled to a financial award.

If you believe your child may have contracted cerebral palsy as a result of doctor malfeasance, we encourage you to contact an attorney immediately. Our firm can assist with cases in the Baltimore, MD area, and if you need legal assistance, we encourage you to contact us or call us today at (410) 235-6868.