Although it’s a well-known medical condition, cerebral palsy is actually a term for a group of conditions related to movement, muscle control, balance, and posture. These issues are caused by brain injuries or improper brain development.
Cerebral palsy is usually considered a congenital condition, meaning it is caused by events before or during birth. In many cases, cerebral palsy is not diagnosed until the baby is older and the signs are clearer.
Symptoms
Because cerebral palsy covers a range of conditions, the symptoms of cerebral palsy are vast and can be confused with symptoms of other illnesses or injuries. That’s why it’s extremely important that medical staff notice and respond to symptoms as quickly and accurately as possible to properly determine whether cerebral palsy is the cause.
It’s also important to remember that some symptoms do not present until the baby is older and begins to grow.
- Delayed motor development — The baby has trouble rolling over, crawling, or walking.
- Stiff or tight muscles — The baby’s arms or legs will resist movement, stay in an awkward position, or feel rigid.
- Muscle tone is weak — The baby may feel unusually limp or have trouble holding their head up.
- Poor coordination
- Abnormal posture — The baby may favor one side of the body or hold their arms or legs in unusual positions.
- Difficulty feeding or swallowing — Trouble sucking, chewing, or swallowing; frequent gagging or choking.
- Uncontrolled movements — Involuntary twisting, writhing, or repetitive movements.
- Balance problems — Difficulty sitting or standing without support.
- Speech delays or difficulty speaking — Problems forming words or controlling mouth and tongue movements.
- Seizures — Episodes of staring, jerking movements, or loss of awareness.
- Vision or hearing problems — Trouble tracking objects, responding to sounds, or making eye contact.
- Excessive drooling — Difficulty controlling saliva due to weak oral muscles.
- Uneven muscle use — One arm or leg may be used much more than the other.
What causes cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is typically caused by abnormal brain development or brain damage. There are a handful of ways the brain can experience problems before or during birth that can cause issues.
Premature birth and low birth weight have been linked to major cerebral palsy complications because the baby’s brain is so vulnerable. Complications during the pregnancy and infections can also raise the risk of a baby having cerebral palsy. This is particularly true, as those issues can cause inflammation or affect oxygen and blood flow to the brain.
A lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain has been directly linked to cerebral palsy and other serious health injuries involving babies.
Other factors that have been linked to cerebral palsy include bleeding or stroke and severe jaundice that damages brain tissue, also known as kernicterus.
Serious injuries that can be caused by cerebral palsy
Many of the more serious injuries involve developmental issues with the child. The child may have a hard time walking, sitting, or maintaining balance. The child may have limited use of their arms and hands, which may impact their ability to take care of themselves long-term. Some children experience major problems with their muscles and joints.
Over time, those issues can contribute to other injuries, such as scoliosis, hip problems, pain, and fatigue.
Although they may be considered “secondary conditions, cerebral palsy can cause seizures, feeding issues, and trouble swallowing.
Cerebral palsy may also cause learning, speech, vision, or hearing challenges as the baby grows. They may struggle with their motor skills and have trouble learning. These injuries can impact the child for their entire life and require a lifetime of therapy, treatment, and care.
How can medical malpractice make cerebral palsy worse?
While not every case of cerebral palsy is preventable, mistakes made by the healthcare team can make matters worse. Again, because so many symptoms overlap with other medical issues, it’s important that staff know how to respond to each symptom and treat them appropriately if necessary.
The biggest error comes when staff fail to notice signs of distress in the baby before or during the birth. Even a short delay in treatment can cause issues with oxygen and blood flow. Failure to order an emergency C-section when the baby is not responding to labor properly can also cause problems.
During birth, staff must make sure they properly handle cases of oxygen deprivation and resuscitate infants. It’s also important that the healthcare provider treats the mother for any infections or other complications that can cause oxygen or blood flow issues for the baby.
While jaundice isn’t caused by medical error, failure to recognize the signs or treat jaundice quickly can certainly be a factor in a baby having cerebral palsy. If the baby’s bilirubin is dangerously high, timely testing and treatment can be critical.
If your baby has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it’s important that you request medical records related to the pregnancy and birth. Those records contain valuable information that can be the key to proving a medical mistake contributed to the diagnosis.
Weisser Law will review those records and get to the bottom of what happened and why it may have contributed to your child’s injuries. From there, we’ll explain all the legal options available to you and how to pursue legal action.
At Weisser Law, your traumatic experience isn’t just another case or more paperwork. Your life and future are at stake, and you deserve a legal team that understands how critical it is to hold accountable those who hurt you or your family. Contact us today for your free, no-pressure consultation.
Weisser Law, where we put people over profits.