Cerebral Palsy: Common Birth Injury in the US

November 22, 2012 (Press-News.org) At certain times in most people's lives, they must put their trust in the ability of other qualified professionals to ensure their safety. Most often, this occurs when someone is ill or otherwise requires the help of a medical professional. A prime example occurs when women become pregnant and give birth. For many women in such situations, it is necessary to rely on nurses and OB/GYNs to keep them and their babies healthy, both throughout the pregnancy and during the delivery.

Tragically, at times, medical negligence during the birth causes irreversible damage to the newborn. When an infant is injured due to physician error, the consequences can affect the family and the child emotionally and financially. Often, birth injuries require ongoing medical care for the child, which can have crippling consequences for the family's savings. In such situations, it is critical to hold the responsible party accountable, to ensure the newborn receives the necessary care in the future.

Medical Errors Can Cause Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy, a common birth injury, is one such illness with long-term consequences. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that can affect a wide range of functions, including movement, cognitive abilities, seeing and hearing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cerebral palsy affects approximately one out of every 303 children in the United States.

Cerebral palsy leads to muscle problems, which, in turn, affect a person's coordination and movement. Common symptoms include:
- Motor skills issues, eventually leading to problems walking
- Trouble with swallowing and eating
- Speech development delays
- Tremors
- Trouble with fine motor skills, such as picking up a small object

The symptoms typically begin to appear either while the child is an infant or during the first few years of life.

One of the causes associated with the development of cerebral palsy is a lack of oxygen to the baby's brain, which typically occurs during a prolonged labor and delivery. At times, these difficult childbirths occur because of complications during labor to which doctors did not properly respond. According to the CDC, brain damage that took place either before or during the birth of the child accounts for the majority, between 85 to 90 percent, of cerebral palsy cases.

New Jersey Birth Injury Claims

When a doctor fails to attend to a serious complication during labor and a child is irreversibly injured, the family is typically faced with unforeseen medical expenses for years to come. If you are in such a situation, consulting with a skilled birth injury attorney will ensure your family's rights are protected and just compensation is received.

Article provided by Nagel Rice, LLP
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