Roanoke Cerebral Palsy Attorney
Cerebral palsy is a serious condition that can result from a healthcare provider’s negligence during the birth of your baby. While it can be difficult to come to terms with the possibility that your baby has CP, it is also important to receive an accurate diagnosis and to hold the negligent healthcare provider accountable for their mistake. Our Roanoke cerebral palsy attorneys can help.
What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a term that refers to a group of motor disability disorders. When a person has cerebral palsy, or CP, their ability to move, to maintain their balance, and to maintain their posture is impaired, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC explains that there are four primary types of cerebral palsy, and they have different effects on a person:
- Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form of cerebral palsy, and about 80 percent of people with CP have spastic cerebral palsy. This form of CP affects a person’s muscles, making them stiff and their movements awkward. This type of CP can vary in terms of its severity, affecting the lower limbs, one side of the person’s body, or all four limbs and the person’s trunk and face.
- Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is a form of CP in which a person has trouble moving their limbs (including hands, arms, feet, and legs), and has difficulty sitting and walking. With Dyskinetic CP, the person’s movements are often jerky and uncontrollable.
- Ataxic cerebral palsy is a form of CP that affects a person’s balance and coordination. With ataxic CP, the person typically has difficulty walking, writing, and engaging in other activities or movements using their arms and legs.
- Mixed cerebral palsy means that the patient has symptoms associated with more than one of the above types of CP. Most often, mixed cerebral palsy results in a person having symptoms of spastic CP and dyskinetic CP.
Recognizing Cerebral Palsy in a New Baby in Roanoke
It is important for parents to understand the potential signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy in a newborn baby. In an infant under the age of 6 months, the CDC identifies the following as common signs or symptoms of CP:
- Baby’s head lags when he or she is picked up from laying on his or her back;
- Baby feels stiff;
- Baby feels floppy;
- Baby overextends his or her back and neck when being cradled; or
- Baby’s legs stiffen or cross when the baby is picked up.
Signs and symptoms can change as the child ages. If you have concerns, you should speak with your baby’s doctor as soon as possible for an accurate diagnosis. If your child does have CP, it is critical to begin working with a birth injury lawyer in Roanoke on a claim for financial compensation.
How Does a Baby Develop Cerebral Palsy in Roanoke?
Cerebral palsy can have other causes unrelated to medical malpractice, but it often arises because of a doctor’s negligence. The following are ways in which a healthcare provider’s negligence can result in cerebral palsy:
- Undiagnosed or untreated infection;
- Failure to identify changes in fetal heart rate;
- Failure to perform an emergency C-section quickly enough; or
- Negligent use of forceps or a vacuum extractor.
Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer in Roanoke
If your baby was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, one of our Roanoke birth injury attorneys can help. Contact MichieHamlett today to get started on your claim.
