Representing Families Affected by Cerebral Palsy in St. Louis, Kansas City and throughout Missouri
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders characterized by loss of movement and/or loss of other nerve functions. It is caused by injuries to the brain that occur during fetal development or during labor or birth. The United Stated Cerebral Palsy Associations estimate that more than 500,000 Americans have cerebral palsy.
There is no cure for cerebral palsy. It occurs in roughly two to four babies for every 1,000 births. The expenses of medical procedures, special education, orthopedic braces and other appliances can be overwhelming.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by medical providers failing to provide adequate care.
What Kinds of Actions on the Part of the Medical Provider Could Cause Cerebral Palsy?
- Improper use of labor-inducing drugs (e.g., Pitocin)
- Failure to act on changes in the condition of the fetus during labor
- Failure to act on changes in the mother's condition during pregnancy
- Failure to perform a cesarean section in the presence of fetal distress
- Failure to order specific tests during pregnancy, and/or not correctly interpreting these tests
- Excessive use of vacuum extraction
- Lack of oxygen to the brain or trauma to the head during labor and delivery [1]
Early signs of inadequate medical care or brain injury can include the following symptoms or factors:
- The infant demonstrates poor sucking after birth
- The infant has seizures within 24 to 48 hours
- The infant is floppy at birth
- The infant's skin is blue, or dusky at birth
- The infant requires resuscitation because he or she is not breathing
- There is no family history of brain damage
- There was no indication of trauma or infection during pregnancy
Contact the Attorneys of Brown & Crouppen
If you believe a doctor's error could have caused your child's cerebral palsy, you should seek qualified legal help immediately. Call Brown & Crouppen toll free at 888-842-7944 for a free case evaluation today or use our contact form online.
You only have a limited time period in which you can file - but the costs of caring for a child with cerebral palsy continue indefinitely, so don't wait to protect your child's interests.
[1] http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/cerebral-palsy-causes/birth-injury/
