Cerebral Palsy – Preventable Birth Injury
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009Patricia Woloch asked:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one out of nearly 280 births will result in the child being born with Cerebral Palsy. This is up from the previous number of one in nearly 670 born with the injury.
Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common motor disabilities in children. It happens when one or more parts of the developing brain are damaged. While many researchers are not sure of the exact cause, many theories, including issues with the mother’s health, premature birth or low birth weight, multiple births, and oxygen starvation at the time of birth have been discussed. However, children born with Cerebral Palsy may have been injured by a health care provider. Some possible causes include:
• Prescribing inappropriate medications during pregnancy.
• Improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction.
• Failure to respond to fetal distress in a timely manner.
• Failure to respond to a baby’s lack of oxygen.
• Failure to treat jaundice in a timely manner.
Nearly 800,000 people are affected by Cerebral Palsy in the U.S. It refers to a number of neurological disorders which cause problems for children before, during, or just after birth. Sometimes these problems are not noticeable until the child’s nervous system matures. These problems can range from the very mild to severe. This is directly linked to the severity of the brain damage. Some common symptoms and effects of Cerebral Palsy include:
• Limited motor skills or paralysis – Muscles may be stiff or very relaxed. Limbs might be held in strange positions. Movement may be jerky and abrupt, or slow.
• Seizures – One-third of all Cerebral Palsy sufferers have seizures. They can appear early on or later in life.
• Learning disabilities – Disabilities depend on the severity of the brain damage, but some children are affected by mental retardation.
• Impaired speech – Because some of the muscles in the tongue and mouth may be affected, children may not be able to speak normally.
• Problems swallowing – People with Cerebral Palsy may have problems sucking, eating, drinking, and controlling their saliva. Drooling may be a factor. Aspirating is a concern, as sufferers may suffocate.
• Hearing loss – Child may not respond to sounds. Partial hearing loss is not unnatural.
• Skeletal deformities – If only one side of the child is affected, that side may have shorter limbs. This can lead to scoliosis or tilting of the pelvic bone, and may require surgery.
Early detection of Cerebral Palsy may increase your baby’s chances for recovering more fully, but he or she may still require different types of therapy for the rest of their life. This includes full time in-home care and possible institutionalization.
Nathaniel
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one out of nearly 280 births will result in the child being born with Cerebral Palsy. This is up from the previous number of one in nearly 670 born with the injury.
Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common motor disabilities in children. It happens when one or more parts of the developing brain are damaged. While many researchers are not sure of the exact cause, many theories, including issues with the mother’s health, premature birth or low birth weight, multiple births, and oxygen starvation at the time of birth have been discussed. However, children born with Cerebral Palsy may have been injured by a health care provider. Some possible causes include:
• Prescribing inappropriate medications during pregnancy.
• Improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction.
• Failure to respond to fetal distress in a timely manner.
• Failure to respond to a baby’s lack of oxygen.
• Failure to treat jaundice in a timely manner.
Nearly 800,000 people are affected by Cerebral Palsy in the U.S. It refers to a number of neurological disorders which cause problems for children before, during, or just after birth. Sometimes these problems are not noticeable until the child’s nervous system matures. These problems can range from the very mild to severe. This is directly linked to the severity of the brain damage. Some common symptoms and effects of Cerebral Palsy include:
• Limited motor skills or paralysis – Muscles may be stiff or very relaxed. Limbs might be held in strange positions. Movement may be jerky and abrupt, or slow.
• Seizures – One-third of all Cerebral Palsy sufferers have seizures. They can appear early on or later in life.
• Learning disabilities – Disabilities depend on the severity of the brain damage, but some children are affected by mental retardation.
• Impaired speech – Because some of the muscles in the tongue and mouth may be affected, children may not be able to speak normally.
• Problems swallowing – People with Cerebral Palsy may have problems sucking, eating, drinking, and controlling their saliva. Drooling may be a factor. Aspirating is a concern, as sufferers may suffocate.
• Hearing loss – Child may not respond to sounds. Partial hearing loss is not unnatural.
• Skeletal deformities – If only one side of the child is affected, that side may have shorter limbs. This can lead to scoliosis or tilting of the pelvic bone, and may require surgery.
Early detection of Cerebral Palsy may increase your baby’s chances for recovering more fully, but he or she may still require different types of therapy for the rest of their life. This includes full time in-home care and possible institutionalization.
Nathaniel