The term ‘cerebral palsy’ refers to a set of neurological conditions leading to stunted growth and development, which particularly affect the movement of the body. ‘Cerebral’ alluding to the cerebrum, the part of the brain which is mostly affected (though some types of palsy affect other parts of the brain, like the cerebellum and the cortex, as well). The word ‘palsy’ refers to a movement-related disorder like partial muscle paralysis, which may be accompanied by loss of sensation, tremors, or inability to control body movements.

Causes

Cerebral palsy is caused in the early stages of development, by damage to those areas in the brain that control motor activity. It generally occurs during pregnancy, childbirth, or before the child reaches three years of age. A child who has cerebral palsy is able to execute limited movements, and has sight-based and communication-related problems as well.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

There are several disorders that are all grouped under the umbrella term of cerebral palsy, some of which are:

– Spastic hemaplagia, which causes stiffness in just one side of an individual’s body

– Spastic diplegia, where the lower limbs of the person are affected

– Spastic quadriplegia, the severest form, where all the limbs of an individual are affected

– Athetoid Diskynetic cerebral palsy, which causes random uncontrolled body movements, and makes it difficult for the person to sit or walk

– Hypnotic cerebral palsy, in which the child is unable to keep his head up, and may even have difficulty with normal breathing

Symptoms

The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy depend on the type of the condition, but there are some symptoms that are common to most of the various types of cerebral palsy. Children with cerebral palsy achieve developmental milestones later in comparison to their peers. They have abnormal muscle tone, and are unable to maintain the proper physical postures while sitting or crawling. They usually favour one side of limbs over the other, and have bad co-ordination and body balance. They have a limited range of movements, bad eyesight and difficulty in sucking, chewing and swallowing.

Medical Negligence

Several instances of cerebral palsy are triggered by medical negligence by the parents. Medical errors or negligence that occurs during pregnancy and childbirth may cause cerebral palsy in children. The negligence can cause either the child or mother to suffer injuries which can then lead to cerebral palsy.

Medical negligence is not very easy to prove, particularly in cerebral palsy claims, so it is very important to consult an experienced clinical negligence solicitor, if you suspect that your child’s cerebral palsy has been caused by a doctor’s error or carelessness. The lawyer can help you wage a successful lawsuit against the doctor or the hospital, so that you can get appropriate cerebral palsy compensation.

Cerebral palsy is a condition that does not worsen, but which affects the sufferer’s quality of life to a great extent. Treatment of cerebral palsy can be very expensive and would require a lot of time and effort. It is essential to choose an experienced solicitor so that you can claim compensation for your child’s suffering, and thus procure the funds for his/ her treatment and upkeep in the future.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Pearson Hinchliffe, medical negligence solicitors and experts in cerebral palsy claims.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Pearson Hinchliffe (http://www.ph-medicalnegligence.co.uk), medical negligence solicitors and experts in claiming for cerebral palsy compensation.

Author Bio: Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Pearson Hinchliffe, medical negligence solicitors and experts in cerebral palsy claims.

Category: Legal
Keywords: cerebral palsy claims, cerebral palsy compensation, medical negligence solicitors, medical negligenc