Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to damage in the motor control areas of the brain. It does not have a single cause or a single set of symptoms. Instead, it encompasses any disease or injury that interferes with the brain development of a fetus or baby within the first few years of life.
CP affects about one in 345 children, roughly 0.29% of live births. Those numbers may not seem high at first glance, but CP is, in fact, the most common childhood motor disability in the U.S.
As such, a CP diagnosis can seem frightening and daunting to parents. To that end, the cerebral palsy FAQ found below seeks to answer some of the questions parents often have when learning that their child may suffer from the condition.
Parents in Chicago, IL, can also turn to Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, contact us at (312) 726-1616 for more information and help fighting for their child’s financial security when the condition (or other such child injuries) results from medical malpractice.
How Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help With Your Case in Chicago, IL
Since 2009, Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys has represented injured people in Chicago, Illinois, against those responsible for harming them. Our Chicago cerebral palsy lawyers have won over $100 million for injured victims and their families.
Should your child suffer an injury due to someone else’s negligent or wrongful actions, our law firm will provide the following services:
- A free consultation to discuss your child’s injuries and your options for compensation
- Preparation of an insurance claim and aggressive negotiation to settle it
- Litigation against insurers and at-fault parties who refuse to offer fair settlements
Your child may require a lifetime of medical treatment and therapy after a birth injury or CP diagnosis. Do not hesitate to contact Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys as soon as possible to discuss your child’s condition(s) and how we will help fight for their future.
Is Cerebral Palsy a Common Birth Injury in Chicago?
The good news is that CP is not an overly common occurrence. Between 5,500 and 13,100 children are born with CP every year in the U.S. And even then, CP is not a terminal condition. About one million adults in the U.S. live with the condition.
Still, if your child suffers a birth injury, the odds are high that they will experience some motor disabilities due to CP. The condition co-occurs with many other birth injuries. For instance, about 40% of children with epilepsy and 10% of children on the autism spectrum also have CP.
Some other factors that increase the odds of CP include the following:
- Premature births
- Low birth weights
- Being a multiple-birth baby
- Having untreated jaundice
- Being born to a mother who had an infection during pregnancy
- Physical injuries
A doctor can even cause CP by committing an error during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cerebral Palsy
Here are some answers to questions people ask about this childhood condition:
What Causes CP?
CP does not have a clear-cut cause. An infection before birth, for instance, can damage the brain’s motor centers. Any physical brain damage can also interfere with its development and cause CP.
However, a head injury does not guarantee your child will develop CP. The injury must cause permanent damage in the motor centers of the brain for the condition to arise.
Did My Doctor Cause My Child’s OP?
The two medical errors most commonly cited for CP include anoxic brain injuries and physical injuries. Anoxic brain injuries occur when a lack of oxygen to the brain causes permanent brain damage, and that can happen in two ways.
First, an error might damage or pinch the umbilical cord during labor or delivery, preventing oxygen from reaching the fetus. Second, a fetus or its mother might suffer severe hemorrhaging during delivery. The massive blood loss can prevent the brain from getting enough oxygenated blood to keep its cells alive.
As for physical injuries, a skull fracture during or after delivery could damage the motor centers of the brain, for example.
How Will CP Affect My Child’s Daily Life?
CP causes motor problems that interfere with strength and movement. Symptoms include:
- Spasticity (stiff muscles)
- Dyskinesia (uncontrollable movements)
- Ataxia (poor balance and coordination)
CP is not degenerative, so your child’s symptoms will not necessarily worsen. Their symptoms may even improve with therapy.
Can My Child Get Injury Compensation for CP?
A doctor must provide the knowledge, skill, and judgment of a reasonably prudent doctor in the same situation. Malpractice occurs when a doctor breaches these professional standards of care and exposes a patient to undue risks.
To receive injury compensation for CP, your lawyer must prove the condition resulted from medical malpractice. Your child can recover compensation for medical expenses and income losses due to their disabilities. They can also get compensated for pain and suffering.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Chicago Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
Cerebral palsy and other birth injuries can require expensive ongoing care for your child. Contact Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys for a free consultation to discuss your options for seeking injury compensation from anyone responsible for your child’s birth injury.
