General Questions About Cerebral Palsy
What are the signs of cerebral palsy?
Are women with certain medical conditions prone to having a baby with cerebral palsy?
Is cerebral palsy hereditary?
How severely will my child be affected?
Are there different types of cerebral palsy?
Does alcohol consumption during pregnancy increase my baby’s risk of developing cerebral palsy?
Is cerebral palsy life threatening?
Treatment Questions
How does physical therapy help cerebral palsy?
How does occupational therapy help cerebral palsy?
How can speech therapy benefit a CP patient?
How does behavioral therapy help a child with cerebral palsy?
Legal Questions
How do I know if my doctor is responsible for my child’s Cerebral palsy?
How long does it usually take to conduct a CP case?
Will there be a settlement rather than a court hearing? What am I hoping to gain with a settlement?
General Questions About Cerebral Palsy (CP)
What are the signs of cerebral palsy?
A child’s family, caregivers, and doctors usually notice signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy when the child reaches preschool age, as this is when certain developmental milestones may be delayed and other medical issues become apparent. Early signs of CP include:
- Balance issues
- Improper or inconsistent gait
- Involuntary movements
- Sensory problems, especially hearing and vision
- Bladder and bowel control issues
- Unusual walking patterns, such as toe walking (knees cross toward each other with every step) and scissor walking (where the child appears to walk like a marionette)
- Poor head and neck posture
- Favoring of a certain side of the body
- Inability to properly swallow, chew, or suck
- Seizures
- Infants tend to be tense and irritable
- Lack of muscle tone, weakness of physique, and soft tissue problems
- Poor reflexes and problematic motor development
- Bone and joint deformities
Are women with certain medical conditions prone to having a baby with cerebral palsy?
Women with seizure disorders, thyroid disorders, and mental retardation are at a slightly increased risk of having a baby with CP.
Is cerebral palsy hereditary?
In very rare cases, a certain gene abnormality can cause the brain to develop abnormally, leading to CP. Most cases of cerebral palsy are not hereditary at all, but due to issues that arise during pregnancy.
How severely will my child be affected?
Cerebral palsy cases can range from mild to severe. The extent of the condition depends on the type of CP and the severity of the brain damage that caused it to develop. Some patients with CP can require little to no care at all, while others require full-time care to function.
Are there different types of cerebral palsy?
Yes. Based on motor function, there are two types of CP: spastic and non-spastic.
- The spastic forms of CP involve muscle spasms and stiffness.
- The non-spastic forms include dyskinetic and ataxic CP. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is characterized by writhing, jarring, and involuntary movements. Ataxic (the least disabling of all types of CP) is characterized by perception and balance difficulties.
Does alcohol consumption during pregnancy increase my baby’s risk of developing cerebral palsy?
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can raise the risk of many birth defects, one of which is cerebral palsy. Since there is no determinable safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, pregnant women should avoid alcohol while pregnant.
Is cerebral palsy life threatening?
While cerebral palsy is not considered a terminal condition, the disorder itself is very hard on the human body. The physical strain of living with the condition can cause the cardiovascular system to age prematurely. Because one of the main attributes of CP manifests itself in the muscles, joints, and bones, these systems can be prematurely and detrimentally affected as well.
When a cerebral palsy patient is largely immobile or lives with restricted mobility, bedsores and a compromised immune system can make any resulting infections life-threatening.
Certain complications associated with the condition can be dangerous and even life-threatening. Aspiration pneumonia (an infection in the lungs caused by inhaling food particles) can result from difficulty in swallowing, and malnutrition can result from a poor appetite and lack of interest in food. A compromised immune system as a result of malnutrition can make a patient more susceptible to infection and will often extend recovery times when an infection does occur.
Cerebral Palsy FAQs: Treatment Questions
How does physical therapy help cerebral palsy?
Physical therapy can benefit motor and developmental skills in patients with cerebral palsy. PT can help a child with cerebral palsy learn how to move and position different parts of their bodies and perform basic functions like eating and drinking. As a child with CP develops, physical therapy can also help them acquire independent living skills like personal hygiene and socialization. Your child’s therapist will often focus on alleviating musculoskeletal problems during physical therapy sessions.
How does occupational therapy help cerebral palsy?
In contrast to physical therapy, occupational therapy (OT) focuses on fine motor skill development. It can help maintain coordination of movement, development, and maintenance of muscle tone. OT is often used in conjunction with Botulinum injections to stretch, strengthen, and relax muscles. Like physical therapy, occupational therapy plays an important role in a CP patient’s well-being throughout the course of their life. OT can help improve range of movement, posture, and sensory processes and ultimately boost a patient’s independence and confidence over the long haul.
How can speech therapy benefit a CP patient?
Speech impairment is one of the most common symptoms of CP, and a significant delay in speech development can sometimes indicate a child has cerebral palsy. Speech therapy can help a child with CP develop the muscles that allow them to form words more easily and effectively. Many CP children benefit from Augmentative and Alternative Communications devices, like the Touch to Chat app on the iPad, which uses interactive communication to assist a CP patient in communicating with others.
How does behavioral therapy help a child with cerebral palsy?
Living with CP can be an incredibly frustrating experience at times. It’s important to consider that a child with cerebral palsy needs an outlet for their emotions to help them deal with the daily stresses and emotional challenges of functioning with CP. Behavioral therapy can help through a collaborative effort between therapist, parents, and families that involves scheduling activities, monitoring behavior, role playing, and rewarding positive lifestyle choices.
Cerebral Palsy FAQs: Legal Questions
How do I know if my doctor is responsible for my child’s Cerebral palsy?
There is no way to know whether you have a valid malpractice claim until you consult with your attorney. A cerebral palsy lawyer will have years of courtroom experience dealing with CP cases in court, and they will likely have dealt with medical malpractice as it relates to cerebral palsy. An attorney that focuses on cerebral palsy cases can be a great advocate through the process of determining whether you have a case because they have seen outcomes on both sides of the law.
It can be very beneficial to recall whether there were any witnesses who may have seen anything out of the ordinary happen in the delivery room. An expert witness—another doctor, for example—can often be brought into the conversation to critique the methodologies used by your doctor during the birth of your child.
How long does it usually take to conduct a CP case?
Due to the amount of preparation involved, cases can take anywhere from 18 months to 2 years to go to court from the date of filing. A settlement can expedite the resolution of your case by offering you compensation for damages without the need to go through a lengthy court proceeding.
Will there be a settlement rather than a court hearing? What am I hoping to gain with a settlement?
Settlement of a case is usually preferable than going to court, but sometimes it’s just not possible to appease either party without going to trial. When we work to develop a settlement for you in a CP case, we take into consideration the lifetime costs of caring for a child with cerebral palsy. We consult the Life Care Plan, a compilation prepared by a group of experts that takes into account the therapies, treatments, medications, and living aids that your child will require throughout his or her life. We construct your settlement to include actual projected costs adjusted for inflation over the life of your child, plus a percentage above that to account for unforeseen medical expenses.