Cerebral Palsy is a lifelong disability.

Cerebral palsy results from an injury to the cerebrum, the largest part of the brain, involved in higher mental faculties, sensations and voluntary muscle activities. It can be caused by a brain injury before, during or following birth.

The statistics are disturbing:

• Approximately 2 to 4 out of every 1000 new births result in Cerebral Palsy
• At least 5,000 infants and toddlers are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy each year
• At least 1,200 – 1,500 preschoolers are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy each year
• Approximately 500,000 people in the U.S. have Cerebral Palsy.

What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

Any event that impedes a child’s breathing could cause Cerebral Palsy. Severe asphyxia, the lack of oxygen to the brain, can occur when:

• A child’s breathing is restricted by the umbilical cord.
• A baby becomes stuck in the birth canal, at which point the doctor
  must perform a C-section
• A baby does not begin breathing immediately after birth.

Half of infants who suffer severe asphyxia during birth develop Cerebral Palsy. Thus, it is critical for doctors to prevent asphyxia.

Cerebral Palsy Symptoms:

• Mental Retardation
• Impairment of Speech, Hearing or Sight
• Seizures
• Problems in Gait and Mobility
• Abnormal Perception or Sensation

Risk factors for Cerebral Palsy:

• Fetal Distress – Complications during labor and delivery, such as vascular or respiratory problems
• Breech presentation – Babies that present feet first, instead of head first
• Multiple births – Twins, triplets and other multiple births
• Maternal bleeding or severe proteinuria (excess proteins in the urine) late in pregnancy
• Maternal hyperthyroidism, mental retardation or seizures.

When these or other warning signs are present, doctors and health care providers must take immediate steps to properly monitor the unborn, timely treat the cause of any complications that have arisen, and, when necessary, deliver the baby without delay.

If your child has cerebral palsy that you suspect resulted from a doctor, nurse, or other health care provider failing to provide adequate care during pregnancy, delivery or after delivery, contact Fellows, Hymowitz & Epstein immediately. We can help you understand whether your child’s cerebral palsy was the result of a health care provider’s negligence, in which case we will strive to recover the compensation that will secure their future.

If your child has suffered Cerebral Palsy,

Fellows, Hymowitz & Epstein may be able to help.