There are many different types of birth injuries that can occur even under seemingly ideal circumstances. Many of those injuries can lead to permanent conditions, like cerebral palsy, that can impact your child’s ability to live a normal life or to keep up with their peers developmentally. Nearly 10,000 babies are born with some degree of cerebral palsy, and many of those cases are the result of often preventable birth injuries. Here’s what your Pennsylvania birth injury attorney wants you to understand about CP.
What Is Cerebral Palsy and Is It a Birth Injury?
Cerebral palsy is a condition that results from abnormal brain development. It can lead children to have issues with speech, movement, posture, fine motor skills, and other developmental milestones.
Cerebral palsy isn’t a birth injury in and of itself. Instead, it’s typically the result of a birth injury that does damage to the child’s brain.
The Types of Birth Injuries That Lead to Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy can be caused by several different injuries. But some of the most common include loss of oxygen due to birth delays or other trauma or medical negligence. This could involve the following:
- Medical practitioners ignoring signs of fetal distress
- Improper use of forceps or extractors
- Delays in cesarean sections (c-sections)
- Failures to treat maternal infections during pregnancy
These situations all increase the risk of the baby developing cerebral palsy.
Treatments Available for Cerebral Palsy
Unfortunately, there is no cure for cerebral palsy. But there are treatments families can use to help their children develop to their fullest potential. The exact treatment protocol you’ll want to use will depend on your child’s diagnosis and the severity of their cerebral palsy. However, many families end up working with occupational therapy, physical therapy, surgery, speech therapy, and other similar treatments.
Your child’s physician will help determine the appropriate treatment plan for their needs. Keep in mind that as your child grows, the types of treatments they’ll need may change. You’ll want to continue working with their care team to ensure that they receive the treatments that will benefit them most.
The Estimated Cost of Cerebral Palsy
Treatments and ongoing care for cerebral palsy can be expensive, even with health insurance. Typically, parents can expect to pay more than $50,000 per year to help their child maintain a good quality of life. The more severe their condition is, the higher that number will be.
That’s why working with a Pennsylvania birth injury attorney is such a good idea. They’ll review your case and help you determine if you’re eligible to file a lawsuit against the medical care providers who caused your child’s injury. If you are eligible, your attorney will be able to represent you in court and increase the chances of your family getting a fair settlement.
You can use that settlement to offset your child’s treatment costs so you can focus on choosing the most beneficial therapies rather than worrying about your out-of-pocket expenses.
What to Do if Your Child Is Injured at Birth
Birth injuries can be difficult to diagnose immediately after birth. But that doesn’t mean they won’t become apparent later on. Schedule routine appointments with your child’s pediatrician. If they identify any warning signs or feel that your child’s conditions or behavioral disorders were caused by a birth injury, you can and should seek legal advice.
Let Latona Law Help
At Latona Law, we know that birth injuries can be emotionally traumatic and stressful for your entire family to navigate. Our experienced Pennsylvania birth injury attorneys will review your case and help you decide if filing a lawsuit against the hospital and the medical professionals involved in your child’s birth is in your best interest. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.