Cerebral palsy, which is often called ”CP”, is described by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and keep their balance and posture as a result of injury to parts of the brain, or as a result of a problem with brain development. CP often happens before birth or shortly after birth. One study indicated that CP affects 3.3 per 1,000 8-year-old children or 1 in 303 children. CP cannot be cured but the symptoms usually do not get worse over time and medical treatment can help the lives of those who have CP. In 2000, 60% of children with CP also had one or more other developmental disabilities.
There are many possible causes of CP, including genetic conditions and problems with blood supply to the brain during the first 6 months of pregnancy, and including infections, bleeding in the brain, lack of oxygen, severe jaundice, and head injury after brain development later in pregnancy, during delivery, or during the first years of life.
A preventable cause of CP is kernicterus, which is a type of brain damage caused by too much jaundice (a build up of too much bulirubin) in a newborn.
To find out if the CP of a loved one was caused by medical negligence, use the free service of our website to contact medical malpractice lawyers in your area to help find answers to your questions or call us toll free at 800-295-3959.
