20 Things You Need To Know About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim A diagnosis of cerebral palsy has profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can help them live a full life with access to medical equipment, care and support. Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. It can be caused by inadequate prenatal care, issues during labour and delivery or other occurrences. Causes Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can enhance a child's capabilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the muscle tone of a child and coordination, as well as movement. They may refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life. Every person is affected by cerebral palsy differently. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on a child's ability but it can also be severe and cause impairments across every body part. The signs include floppy head (floppy neck) and a muscles that are stiff or inflexible that is difficult to walk or has problems with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting the child's body, then it is known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, it is referred to as diplegia. In severe cases, CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity that limits an individual's movements and leads to problems with speech and eating. Medical mistakes in childbirth are an often-repeated reason for CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be careful when delivering babies since brain damage can have serious consequences. A doctor could be held accountable for negligence if a medical error results in cerebral palsy or brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. This includes a lack of planning or performing an urgent C-section or inability to control and escalate a complicated labor. Signs and symptoms If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they will most likely show a variety of physical signs. These symptoms may include stiff or tight muscles as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with balance and posture. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems. The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain of an infant. It is most commonly seen during infancy or the early years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling may be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience trouble swallowing and might need feeding tubes. Many factors can contribute to the brain injury that causes CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis and rubella during pregnancy; high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a massive lack of oxygen) during delivery or labor is the most common cause of CP. The symptoms can be mild or severe depending on the type. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most prevalent type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid or choreoathetoid) is characterized by slow, uncontrolled movement of the legs, arms and the body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which is characterized by a shakey movement) or paraplegic CP, where the arms and legs are affected. Treatment While the symptoms of cerebral palsy vary, the majority patients with the condition experience stiffness and decrease in muscle control. cerebral palsy lawsuit medford may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The type of issues they suffer from depend on the part of the brain that was injured and the extent of the injury. Many people with CP require special physical therapy which helps them to improve their mobility and muscle tone as well as stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also ease the pain and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments may be considered. Musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia, patella alta, scoliosis, and cervical stenosis are prevalent in CP. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which decreases the life expectancy of patients. Speech and therapy for language can be used to assist children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children discover new ways to communicate and may include signing language, a communication board or voice synthesizers. These medications can be used to relax overactive or stiff muscles to reduce abnormal movement, reduce pain, and manage seizures. These drugs can be taken orally or directly into the affected muscles, or into the surrounding fluid of your spinal cord. Compensation If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you may be awarded compensation to cover the cost of medical attention, equipment and treatment. The amount will be determined on the mental and physical effects of your child's condition, as well as on any losses or expenses you might have incurred. This could include losing earnings due to having to leave work in order to take care of your child, home adaptions and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments. Based on the severity of your child's injury the lawyer might recommend hiring a specialist in disability care to develop a “lifecare plan' that carefully defines their needs beginning with the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an exact compensation amount. This is usually in the form of a lump sum and annual installments, which could be indexed to keep pace with inflation. It is important to understand that the compensation for a successful legal case is not a cash-flow opportunity. It's a recognition of the injustice that occurred due to the fact that the medical professional failed to meet their duty of care in pregnancy, labour, and delivery.