July 14, 2011 (Press-News.org) Maybe you've had concerns for your child's well-being since the day of his or her birth because your labor was mismanaged, delivery was delayed, too much Pitocin was used or your baby was in fetal distress.
Maybe you suspected there was a problem when you noticed your infant didn't reach for you with two hands or seemed excessively stiff or floppy. He or she just didn't move like other babies.
Even if you thought there might be problems, an actual diagnosis of cerebral palsy is still devastating. It's a diagnosis that thousands of parents hear every year, as almost 10,000 infants and 1,200 preschoolers nationwide are diagnosed with some form of CP.
In most cases, the damage to the fetus occurred in utero and the exact cause is unclear. In some cases, it is the result of a preventable birth injury.
Cerebral palsy can affect both physical movement and cognitive ability, sometimes severely. When a young child's physical abilities are very limited, it can appear that the child's mental capability is also limited, but that may not be the case. With appropriate therapy, educational services and access to assistive devices, your child may make surprising advances.
Take the case of Brieana Jones ... a recent graduate from Life Pacific College in San Dimas, California. Ms. Jones cannot walk or stand on her own, has limited use of her hands and cannot turn a page or hold a pencil. But that did not prevent her from graduating cum laude, at age 26, with a bachelor's degree in biblical studies and a minor in youth ministry.
Ms. Jones uses an electric wheelchair. With a reflector under one eye, head movements allow her to cast light onto a light-sensitive keypad that connects to her computer. An accomplished public speaker, she has undertaken missionary trips to Africa, Israel and London, using a voice modulator to assist with speaking.
Ms. Jones credits her school and friends for helping her achieve her goal. They provided transportation, scanned reading materials into her computer and took lecture notes for her. Those same friends credit her with inspiring them to stay on track in school.
Providing for your child's educational needs will require ingenuity, tenacity and financial resources.
- United Cerebral Palsy, Texas chapter, is a great place to begin your search for resources. Its mission is to "advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities." You will find its website at 4MyChild.
- The Houston chapter of Easter Seals (eastersealshouston.org) can provide assistive technology, case management, infant and child therapy programs, day camps and much more.
- The Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services has information about Early Childhood Intervention programs (dars.state.tx.us). For some children, those services may begin soon after birth; for other children with disabilities, before their third birthday.
Making the money last is a concern of many parents who achieved a financial settlement when medical malpractice was the cause of their child's cerebral palsy. Estate planning tools can be used to protect your child's assets and ensure that money is available over the course of his or her life. A structured settlement may be negotiated, allowing a payout over a number of years. A special-needs trust is an option with several benefits: It provides money for medical or educational needs while also, in some cases, allowing the child (or adult) to qualify for medical assistance.
Law firms that handle medical malpractice cases are prepared to advise parents on these and other financial options to protect their child's future.
Article provided by Hartley Hampton
Visit us at www.hartleyhamptonlaw.com
With Resources, Children with Cerebral Palsy Can Succeed
Cerebral palsy can affect both physical movement and cognitive ability, sometimes severely. When a young child's physical abilities are very limited, it can appear that the child's mental capability is also limited, but that may not be the case. With appropriate therapy, educational services and access to assistive devices, your child may make surprising advances.
2011-07-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study explores best motivating factors for pursuing a shared goal such as giving
2011-07-14
People who see the "glass as half empty" may be more willing to contribute to a common goal if they already identify with it, according to researchers from The University of Texas at Austin, University of Chicago and Sungkyunkwan University.
According to the studies, individuals who already care a lot (highly identify) with a cause are more likely to financially support the cause if a solicitation is framed by how much is still needed (for example, "we still need $50,000 to reach our goal"). However, if individuals care very little prior to a solicitation (low identify), ...
Research provides insight into new drug resistance in hospital microbes
2011-07-14
Boston (July 13, 2011) – Hospitals struggle to prevent the infections that complicate treatment for cancer, joint replacement, heart surgery and other conditions. Hospital-acquired infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, leading to approximately 100,000 deaths and more than $30 billion in additional health care costs yearly. New drugs are being developed to combat these infections, but resistance invariably emerges to these last-line drugs.
Daptomycin, a new antibiotic approved by the FDA in 2003, is used to treat infections caused by multi-drug resistant ...
Student Loans May Be Reclassified As Dischargeable in Bankruptcy
2011-07-14
With the nation's economy struggling, and unemployment still at historic levels, it is no surprise that many former students are struggling with repaying their loans. Last year, the United States Student Association estimated that borrowers held $730 billion in student loan debt, with 60 percent ($440 billion) in deferment or default. With student loan debt outpacing revolving credit card debt, bankruptcy is becoming a consideration for more struggling with crippling student loan debt, even though current law does not allow discharge of such debt, except under limited circumstances.
There ...
ONR-funded researchers examine new approaches for aircraft operations aboard carriers
2011-07-14
ARLINGTON, Va.--An Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored effort to examine how aircraft carrier flight deck crews will manage manned and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) completed a successful live demonstration, ONR announced July 13.
The Deck operations Course of Action Planner (DCAP) demonstration was performed at the Humans and Automation Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
DCAP is a software tool designed to aid in planning on aircraft carrier flight decks--a congested and often times chaotic environment that not only includes a variety ...
Family-Focused Divorces: How to Prepare Children for an Imminent Divorce
2011-07-14
Divorcing couples must not only ready themselves for the struggles that lie ahead, but they also need to prepare their children for how to deal with an imminent dissolution. In order to do this, the focus needs to be on cooperation and co-parenting for the good of the children.
Children of divorcing parents are probably dealing with a variety of emotions as they figure out how things are changing. When approaching the subject of divorce with kids, especially younger ones, keep the language and topics simple. Focus on addressing how the divorce will change concrete things ...
Notre Dame research reveals brain network connections
2011-07-14
Research conducted by Maria Ercsey-Ravasz and Zoltan Toroczkai of the University of Notre Dame's Interdisciplinary Center for Network Science and Applications (iCeNSA), along with the Department of Physics and a group of neuroanatomists in France, has revealed previously unknown information about the primate brain.
The researchers published an article in the journal Cerebral Cortex showing that the brain is characterized by a highly consistent, weighted network among the functional areas of the cortex, which are responsible for such functions as vision, hearing, touch, ...
Twin ARTEMIS probes to study moon in 3-D
2011-07-14
On Sunday, July 17, the moon will acquire its second new companion in less than a month. That's when the second of two probes built by the University of California, Berkeley, and part of NASA's five-satellite THEMIS mission will drop into a permanent lunar orbit after a meandering, two-year journey from its original orbit around Earth.
The first of the two probes settled into a stable orbit around the moon's equator on June 27. If all goes well, the second probe will assume a similar lunar orbit, though in the opposite direction, sometime Sunday afternoon. The two spacecraft ...
Virginia Graeme Baker and the Hidden Dangers of Swimming Pools
2011-07-14
Many kids across the United States will spend their summer days swimming and having fun in neighborhood pools. However, it is important to remember that pools pose many dangers to young swimmers.
Pool Safely Campaign
The summer of 2011 marks the second year for the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) "Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives" campaign. The campaign is a public education and awareness campaign aimed at reducing the number of drownings and non-fatal submersion and entrapment accidents involving children. The campaign provides simple safety ...
Cancer data not readily available for future research
2011-07-14
Durham, NC — A new study finds that -- even in a field with clear standards and online databases -- the rate of public data archiving in cancer research is increasing only slowly. Furthermore, research studies in cancer and human subjects are less likely than other research studies to make their datasets available for reuse.
The results come from a study of patterns of research data availability conducted by Dr Heather Piwowar of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center.
Data collected in scientific research is often useful for future studies by other investigators, ...
Spreading the Word about Pool Safety
2011-07-14
With the weather warming up, it is important to taking special care in and around water. In an ongoing initiative, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is taking steps to protect children who use pools to reduce the number of swimming pool-related accidents and injuries.
Law Requires Safety Features, Empowers Education Campaign
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act was signed into law in December of 2007. Named for Virginia Graeme Baker, a 7-year-old who drowned after becoming entrapped by a hot tub drain, the act mandates that ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Morton Arboretum tree root scientist recognized as top-cited researcher for second straight year
Scientists show electrical stimulation could be key to healthy tendons
University Hospitals only health system in northeast Ohio offering FDA-approved KISUNLA™ for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
Real-world chemists are more diverse than generative AI images suggest
Curiosity, images, and scientific exploration
Nature publishes collection of papers advancing the human cell atlas, with research supported by CZI
Researchers catalog the microbiome of US rivers
Mapping 1.6 million gut cells to find new ways treat disease
First molecule identified that promotes gut healing while inhibiting tumour progression
Trends in postpartum depression by race, ethnicity, and prepregnancy BMI
Short-term and long-term mortality risk after preterm birth
Thanksgiving special: dinosaur drumsticks and the story of the turkey trot
Superior photosynthesis abilities of some plants could hold key to climate-resilient crops
Human immune system is ‘ready to go’ long before birth
R sounds are rough, and L sounds are smooth, according to cross-cultural study
Healthy women have cells that resemble breast cancer, study finds
Cancer-like mutations in healthy cells point to origins of breast cancer
Preterm birth associated with increased mortality risk into adulthood, study finds
Genome Research publishes a Special Issue on Long-read DNA and RNA Sequencing Applications in Biology and Medicine
Dementia risk prediction: Zero-minute assessment at less than a dollar cost
Children’s Hospital Colorado Heart Institute earns national recognition for excellence in cardiomyopathy care
Trial shows alcohol-mimicking medication can give laryngeal dystonia patients back their voice
Cigarette smoke alters microbiota, aggravates flu severity
Landmark study reveals over 100,000 American youth living with inflammatory bowel disease
Diverse diets of civets in Borneo rainforest allow them to live in same geographical area
Virtual reality could be gamechanger in police-civilian crisis encounters
Recycled pacemakers function as well as new devices, international study suggests
Researchers eliminate the gritty mouth feel: How to make it easier to eat fiber-rich foods
An innovative antibiotic for drug-resistant bacteria
Garden produce grown near Fayetteville works fluorochemical plant contains GenX, other PFAs
[Press-News.org] With Resources, Children with Cerebral Palsy Can SucceedCerebral palsy can affect both physical movement and cognitive ability, sometimes severely. When a young child's physical abilities are very limited, it can appear that the child's mental capability is also limited, but that may not be the case. With appropriate therapy, educational services and access to assistive devices, your child may make surprising advances.