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Cerebral palsy is not a disease, it is a
condition, and is not contagious. In most cases, the initial cause of
cerebral palsy will never be known. There are known
risk
factors that can indicate the likelihood for CP, but they do not
point to specific causes.
Most cerebral palsy conditions are caused by a brain injury that
occurred during pregnancy or birth (congenital), or in the months/years
following birth (Acquired CP). Cerebral Palsy disorders are caused by
faulty development of or damage to motor areas in the brain that disrupt
the brain's ability to control movement and posture. A variety of
conditions can lead to brain injury, including:
- Genetic conditions and problems with
the blood supply to the brain can affect how the child's brain
develops during the first 6 months of pregnancy.
- Oxygen shortage - if the oxygen supply
to the brain is severely low at the time of birth, the infant may
suffer a type of brain damage called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
- Rh incompatibility - a blood condition
that causes the mother's immune cells to attack the fetus, resulting
in jaundice.
- Severe Jaundice in the child during
the first weeks following birth.
- Toxicity - drug or alcohol use during
pregnancy can result in brain damage.
- Kidney and urinary tract infections -
these infections, if severe and prolonged, in the mother can lead to
brain damage within the fetus.
- Exposure of the expectant mother to
certain infections including rubella, toxoplasmosis and
cytomegalovirus.
- Severe physical trauma to the mother
during pregnancy.
Acquired cerebral palsy results from
brain damage in the first few months to years of life and can be caused
by conditions such as:
- Brain infections - encephalitis,
meningitis
- Head injury - falls,
automobile accidents, child abuse
Ten to fifteen percent of
cerebral palsy cases are caused by a recognized brain injury, such as
infection (e.g., meningitis), bleeding into the brain, and damage caused
by lack of oxygen. Most causes are unidentified, and medical
professionals can simply review present
risk
factors. Some of the errors made by healthcare professionals during
delivery can result in a cerebral palsy condition.
-
The failure to recognize and
treat seizures following delivery;
-
Failure to order a C-Section
in a timely manner;
-
Excessive use of a vacuum
extractor;
-
Failure to detect a prolapsed
umbilical cord reducing oxygen supply;
-
Improper use of delivery
forceps;
-
Hospital staff may not
properly read or respond to the babies vital signs;
-
Failure to declare fetal
distress;
-
Failure to diagnose and treat
jaundice or meningitis;
The following incidents may
justify further investigation, or indicate the possibility of a medical
malpractice claim:
-
The use of resuscitation
(CPR) after birth;
-
Emergency delivery with
forceps, or by c-section;
-
Special testing after birth,
such as an MRI scan, CT scan or brain scan;
-
A specialist may not have
been consulted when necessary;
While most doctors, nurses, midwives, and
hospital technicians provide a high standard of care for their patients,
unfortunately, many families are harmed by medical mistakes. Parents of
a child suffering with cerebral palsy should contact an experienced
cerebral palsy lawyer to research the cause of their child’s condition.
Medical mistakes are responsible for many birth injury cases and it
would be impossible for a parent, alone, to determine if medical
malpractice caused their child's injury. It is only through the
dedicated and thorough efforts of a legal and medical team that the
cause can be ascertained.
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