Cerebral palsy is a medical condition that occurs during pregnancy and/or childbirth. This disorder affects the infant’s motor skills and can cause problems with depth perception, communication, sensation, and cognition. As any cerebral palsy lawyer will tell you, the most devastating part about this condition is it is often avoidable and caused by avoidable medical errors. However, there is other important information these attorneys want to ensure you know.
It Is Not Your Fault
You will feel guilty for your child suffering from motor skill problems. The thing your attorney needs you to understand primarily is that this is not your fault. There are multiple factors that go into causing the condition. You did not do anything that caused the neurological abnormality from which your child suffers.
Yes, even during pregnancy it is possible. You could have undergone a necessary surgery and the anesthesia cut off oxygen to your baby for a period. Despite anything you may have done during your pregnancy, it is frequently the birthing process where the damage occurs. Even if you had a difficult birth, it is still not your fault.
Not as Rare as You Think
Unbelievably, cerebral palsy is not as rare as you might like to think. Even if you don’t know anyone who is suffering from the condition, you are not alone. According to CDC statistics, 1 in every 323 births ends with this disability. Because of the various symptoms that can occur, you may not realize that it affects a person. Your cerebral palsy lawyer can help you find support groups in your area where you can learn more about the condition and even access resources to help.
Your attorney may shock you by telling you that the condition is not as specific as you may first believe. While it does cause motor skill dysfunction, there is no one set of symptoms everyone will suffer from. On the contrary, the list of indicators is extensive and can even be isolated to a single side of the body or limb. Some children also suffer from cognitive problems, while others have perfectly normal brain functions.
There Is No Specific Diagnosis
Due to the variety of symptoms, you need to be aware of the range of diagnosis. You have to be flexible when working with your child’s doctor. Typically your child will be grouped into one of the four major types: Ataxic, which affects 5 to 10 percent; Dyskinetic (also called Athetoid), which affects 10 to 20 percent; and Spastic, which affects 70 to 80 percent. Your child’s diagnosis may also be mixed, meaning he or she shows symptoms from more than one type.
Your Child Can Have a Normal Life
Probably the best news that your cerebral palsy lawyer wants you to know is that the condition is manageable. There are doctors and therapists that design programs to help your child live as normal as possible. Many patients are able to go to school, hold down jobs, get married, have children, and live independent lives.