Health Law

Recognizing the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a congenital disorder which affects muscle tone, motor skills and movement, and can lead to learning disabilities as well as difficulty with hearing, vision, and speech.  The disorder is most often caused by a brain injury sustained before or during childbirth, and can quite often be attributed to medical malpractice.  Sometimes diagnosis is made shortly after birth, but it’s not always obvious right away.  That’s why it’s so important for parents to be able to recognize cerebral palsy symptoms in their child early, so that treatment can be sought and justice can be served.

Signs that your child may suffer from Cerebral Palsy vary in severity and can include:

• Delay in normal development (such as an infant not reaching for toys or sitting up at the appropriate milestones)
• Difficulty with fine motor skills (such as writing or using a pair of scissors)
• Inability to maintain balance while standing or walking
• Involuntary movements (such as uncontrollable hand motions or drooling

Medical malpractice comes into play in many of these cases because CP is often caused when a doctor makes a critical error before or during childbirth.  

If you recognize one or more of these cerebral palsy symptoms in your child, discuss your concerns with your pediatrician.  And if by chance the diagnosis is positive, seek the advice of a medical attorney right away.
 

Full post as published by Cerebral Palsy Law Blog on February 01, 2009 (boomark / email).