Understanding Cerebral Palsy: Information for Parents.

One of the most devastating outcomes of childbirth is a birth injury, such as cerebral palsy (CP) or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). These two conditions can cause lifelong physical and cognitive impairments in children.

Unfortunately, medical errors and negligence during childbirth often cause these devastating conditions.

If your child has been diagnosed with CP or HIE, it is essential to contact an attorney for birth injury. It is important to understand the common causes of these conditions. Seeking the help of a CP lawyer can help you pursue compensation to pay for a lifetime of care for your child.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 10,000 children are born in the United States each year with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy can be caused by birth trauma when a baby is deprived of oxygen and blood flow during delivery.

If your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), call The Yost Legal Group for help. One of our experienced birth injury attorneys will speak with you for free and guide you through the process of filing a birth injury claim on behalf of your child.

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What causes Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy can be caused by brain damage that occurs when a baby is deprived of oxygen during birth. This deprivation of oxygen can occur before, during, or after delivery. This can cause multiple types of cerebral palsy with varying levels of severity.

Some common symptoms of CP include:

muscle spasticity and tremors
problems sucking, swallowing, and eating
delays achieving developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, walking, and speaking

Cerebral Palsy and other types of brain injuries, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and seizures in newborns (also known as neonatal seizures or baby seizures) are often due to birth trauma. The trauma is usually caused by obstetrical errors, which commonly put infants at risk, such as:

– the excessive use of vacuum extraction
– improper use of forceps
– failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
– failure to act on dangerous fetal heart fluctuations
– failure to order a timely C-section
– improper treatment of meningitis or jaundice
– failure to treat a prolapsed cord
– improperly administered medications
– negligence in monitoring and treating newborns

When a child is diagnosed with CP or HIE, the medical and financial challenges can overwhelm families. It is essential to seek help from an HIE lawyer.

We’ll investigate the risk factors.

Did you have a premature birth?
What happened during the delivery process?
Can we prove that a hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy injury at birth caused cerebral palsy?

We’ll build your case, review all the details together, then negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf.

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a brain injury that damages the nervous system and affects a child’s ability to control their movements and posture.

This damage can occur due to a lack of oxygen to the brain, infection, or physical trauma during delivery. The severity of cerebral palsy varies greatly, with some children experiencing mild symptoms while others are completely immobile.

What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?

The symptoms of cerebral palsy depend on the type of cerebral palsy and the severity of the condition.

There are four types of cerebral palsy:

What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?

The symptoms of cerebral palsy depend on the type of cerebral palsy and the severity of the condition.

There are four types of cerebral palsy:

Spastic

Dyskinetic

Ataxic

Mixed

Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common type, characterized by stiff and jerky movements.

Spastic diplegia primarily affects the legs, making walking difficult, while the arms may be only slightly affected or not affected at all.
Spastic hemiplegia affects one side of the body (the arm and leg on the affected side).
Spastic quadriplegia affects the whole body, including both arms, legs, torso, and face, and is the most severe type of CP. Usually causing wheelchair dependency, Spastic quadriplegic CP is most often accompanied by a seizure disorder.

Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy. Involuntary movements characterize dyskinetic cerebral palsy, while ataxic cerebral palsy affects a child’s balance and coordination.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy primarily affects balance and coordination. It’s caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. Children with ataxic cerebral palsy may have shaky or unsteady movements, difficulty with precise tasks such as writing or buttoning a shirt, and difficulty maintaining balance when walking. This form of cerebral palsy is less common, and symptoms can range from mild to severe, often making everyday activities more challenging due to poor muscle coordination.

Mixed Cerebral Palsy is a combination of the other types of cerebral palsy. Parents of children with cerebral palsy may notice specific symptoms. These include excessive drooling, muscle tremors, trouble with sitting or standing, difficulty with movements, muscle stiffness, and delayed development.

We’re committed to protecting your child’s future.

If your child suffered hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy during the birth process, contact our birth trauma lawyers for help.

HIE Newborn’s cerebral palsy lawyers have the experience and skills you need. We’ll work with experts in obstetrics before filing your birth injury lawsuit.

We know how to fight against multi-million-dollar healthcare organizations and insurers to hold medical professionals accountable for their negligence.

How is HIE diagnosed?

The delivering medical team may suspect a newborn has Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) as soon as the baby is delivered, based on physical signs such as very low muscle tone, poor color, trouble breathing, or the need to be resuscitated or intubated. However, HIE cannot be diagnosed based on physical appearance alone, and will not be confirmed until the results of bloodwork and a brain MRI have been completed and interpreted.

Does HIE cause cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) can occur when a baby is deprived of oxygen during delivery, leading to brain damage. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it is crucial to investigate the circumstances of their birth, determine if HIE occurred at birth, and consider whether medical negligence was involved.

How can parents support their child with cerebral palsy?

Parents of children with cerebral palsy may feel overwhelmed and unsure how to support their child best. Help a child with cerebral palsy by:

Seeking early intervention services
Staying informed about their condition
Advocating for their needs

Parents can also help their children by providing a supportive and nurturing environment. Working with healthcare professionals and therapists to develop a treatment plan and encourage independence and self-esteem is imperative.

The United Cerebral Palsy organization provides many support services and resources for families and children with CP. The National Institutes of Health also provide knowledge and information on CP.

How a birth injury lawyer can help your child diagnosed with CP?

A birth injury lawyer can be a vital advocate for families whose child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) due to medical errors. They will carefully review your case to determine if malpractice played a role, working closely with medical experts to identify any mistakes that may have occurred during childbirth.

If negligence can be proven, your attorney will fight to secure financial compensation for your child’s ongoing needs—such as therapy, medication, and specialized care—while also pursuing accountability and justice from those responsible.

This support can help ensure your child receives the resources and care they deserve, leading to a better quality of life.

Cerebral Palsy