5 Myths About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys That You Should Avoid
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have an impact on the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live an active and full life by allowing access to care equipment and support.
Many cases of cerebral palsy stem from medical negligence. This could be due to a lack of prenatal care, issues during labor and birth or other incidents.
Causes
There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment can enhance the capabilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP based on the child's muscle coordination and tone. They might refer a child to specialists such as neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists to help manage symptoms and improve life-quality.
Cerebral palsy affects every person differently. It can be mild, with no impact on a child's ability to function, or it can be extremely severe and cause impairments throughout the body. It can be characterized by an oversized (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles, difficulty walking, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy lawyer aurora affects one side of a child's body, it is referred to as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, then it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP can cause locked in (spastic) condition, characterized by muscle spasticity. This could limit a person's movement and create difficulties with speech and eating.
Childbirth-related mistakes made by doctors are one of the main causes of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives should be extra cautious when delivering a baby because damage to the brain can have serious consequences. A doctor could be held responsible for mistakes made in the medical field if an error results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This is the case when scheduling or performing a Csection urgently or failing to monitor and escalate an intense labor.
Symptoms
If your child has cerebral palsy, he / is likely to experience various physical symptoms. These could include tight joints or stiff joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movement and problems with balance and posture. Other problems can include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. This is usually the case during infancy or the early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking is a common symptom of CP. Children with CP may also have trouble swallowing, and may need a feeding device.
Several factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP that can be caused by infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during the birth or during labor is a major cause of CP as is the occurrence of bleeding in the brain due to blood vessels that are blocked or damaged.
Based on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms can range from mild to severe. The most frequent form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy. It is characterised by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid or choreoathetoid), is characterised by a the uncontrolled writhing and swaying of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which is characterized by a shaky motion) or paraplegic CP in which the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of sufferers have to cope with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They might also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement problem that they have depends on which brain area was injured and the severity of the injury.
Many people with CP require special physical therapy which helps them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their muscles and joints. It also helps relieve tension and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises, or other treatments can be considered.
CP is caused by musculoskeletal issues such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems and reduce life expectancy.
Other treatments can include speech and language therapy for children who cannot communicate effectively. This may help them learn new ways of communicating and could involve signing language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.
These medications are used to limit abnormal movements, ease pain, and prevent seizures. These drugs can be taken orally, or directly injected into the muscles affected, or the fluid surrounding your spinal cord.
Compensation
If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you may be awarded compensation to you pay for special care, equipment, and treatment. The amount will be determined on the mental and physical effects of your child's illness as well as any losses or expenses you might have incurred. This could include losing income due to having to take a break from work to take care of your child, house modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Your lawyer could hire an specialist in disability care in accordance with the degree of the injury to your child. The specialist will write a "life care plan" that will outline their needs from the time of diagnosis until they reach the age of adulthood. This will help you determine a more accurate amount of compensation. It typically is in the form of lump sums as well as regular annual payments which can be adjusted to reflect the rate of inflation.
It is important to know that the amount of compensation you receive from a legal claim isn't a windfall. It's an acknowledgement of injustice that occurred because a medical professional did not meet their duty of care in labour, pregnancy and delivery.