One of the biggest challenges for parents of children who are born with or develop neurological and physical abnormalities, such as cerebral palsy (CP), is deciphering fact from fiction. The good news is the availability and accessibility of information is not a problem. Here are some of the most important pieces of information that your potential cerebral palsy lawyer wants you to know.

CP Is Not a Specific Diagnosis

What most parents don’t realize is that CP is not a specific diagnosis, but rather a general term used to describe a broad spectrum of neurological and physical abnormalities caused by abnormal function of the cerebral cortex. Because of this, your potential cerebral palsy lawyer wants you to know that there is flexibility when it comes to diagnosis. Symptoms can range anywhere from minor difficulty with motor skills such as grasping, to major muscle difficulties affecting all limbs such as seizures, difficulty with vision, hearing, and speaking. Specific types of CP include: Spastic (affects 70-80 percent), Athetoid or Dyskinetic (affects 10-20 percent), Ataxic (affects 5-10 percent), and Mixed.

You Are Not Alone

Your potential cerebral palsy lawyer wants you and your child to know that you both are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. Specifically, the CDC reports that 1 in 323 children have been identified as having this disability. As a result, there are numerous support groups and resources available, at both the state and national level, designed to provide information and resources to affected families.

You Did Not Cause This

A common concern that a cerebral palsy lawyer often faces with parents of children with CP is the guilt from assuming that they somehow caused their child to develop neurological or physical abnormalities. The truth of the matter is that because CP can include a broad spectrum of neurological and physical abnormalities and the causes can vary depending on whether or not the CP is congenital or acquired. What is known is that there are numerous risk factors that can increase the occurrence rate. These include premature birth, low birth weight, lack of growth factors during intra-uterine life, and prolonged lack of oxygen during the birthing process. The important thing to note here is that risk factors are not causations.

It Can Be Managed

The good news is CP can be managed to ensure maximum potential growth and development for your child. Through a uniquely designed management program, including physicians, therapists, nurses, social workers, and others, your child can go to school, get married, raise a family, and live on their own. In other words, your child can potentially live a life of independence, provided that necessary steps are taken to ensure their management of their disability.