Cerebral Palsy, or CP, is caused by damage to the portions of a baby’s developing brain that control the body’s motor skills, muscle coordination, and movements. In addition to causing problems with walking, crawling, or ambulation, Cerebral Palsy can also lead to problems with bowel and bladder function, breathing, speech, eating, swallowing, learning, vision, and hearing. The injury or insult occurs either during pregnancy, labor, birth, after birth, or within the first few years of life. Children who had a lack of oxygen during pregnancy, during labor, or after birth, or have suffered from infections, high bilirubin levels or kernicterus, lead poisoning, meningitis, malnutrition or who were premature are at a higher risk for developing Cerebral Palsy.
Risks of Infant Oxygen Deprivation
During the pregnancy or prenatal period and during labor and delivery, your baby’s well being must be closely monitored for any signs of distress, hypoxia, anoxia, or lack of oxygen. Signs that your baby is in trouble or in distress can be seen on ultrasound, bio-physical profiles, stress tests, non-stress tests and the fetal monitor strips or baby monitor during labor. Doctors, Midwives, and nurses can see when your baby is in distress or running out of oxygen. Once a baby starts showing signs of distress or lack of oxygen or hypoxia, the doctor or midwife have to deliver your baby right away to prevent brain damage. The longer a baby stays in a bad environment without oxygen, the worse the outcome.
Seizures and Treatment
One of the first signs that your baby suffered a severe lack of oxygen to the brain is seizures. When you hear the word seizure, you think of a body shaking or convulsing uncontrollably. In newborns or babies, seizures can present differently. A baby that is having a seizure may just have a blank stare, stops breathing or has apnea, nodding of the head, rapid blinking of the eyes, loss of tone, a loud pitched cry, tightening of an arm or leg, lip smacking, or shivering. Each baby is different; therefore, medication that may work for one baby, may not work for another. Medications that are commonly used to try and control the seizures are Phenobarbital, Ativan (Lorazepam), Clonazepam, Versed (Midazolam), Depakene (Valproic acid), Depakote (Valproate), Dilantin (Phenytoin), Ethosuximide Felbatol (Felbamate), Gabitril (Tiagabine), Keppra (Levetiracetam), Lamictal (Lamotrigine), Lyrica (Pregabalin), Neurontin (Gabapentin), Primidone Sabril (Vigabatrin), Tegretol (Carbemazepine), Topamax (Topiramate), Trileptal (oxcarbazepine), or Zonegran (Zonisamide). Sometimes, when the seizures are not able to be controlled by medications, Vitamin B6 and a ketogenic diet that is high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and calorie restricted may be added to the treatment regime.
Cerebral Palsy Symptoms and Types
The early signs of Cerebral Palsy are a lack of muscle coordination, not reaching milestones, delay in crawling or walking, stiff or tight muscles, walking on toes, or floppy muscle tone. The diagnosis is usually made by the time your child is 3 years of age. The three types of Cerebral Palsy are spastic, athetoid and ataxic. Spastic Cerebral Palsy causes stiffness and difficulty with movement. Athetoid Cerebral Palsy causes uncontrolled movements. Ataxic Cerebral Palsy causes an alteration in balance and depth perception.
A Team of Medical and Legal Specialists Working for You
Babies that were subjected to prolonged stress or who were deprived of vital oxygen during the prenatal (pregnancy) period or labor are going to have lifelong medical problems and expenses. The legendary Beasley Philadelphia Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury Firm has an unparalleled record of success investigating and litigating Cerebral Palsy cases with documented results. Our specialized birth injury Cerebral Palsy team is made up of doctors, and nurses that have collectively worked over 25 years in the hospital, in the labor and delivery and neonatal intensive care units. Two of our nurses, while working in the hospital setting, witnessed thousands of births and the devastating outcomes if the labor and birth were not monitored or treated properly. Our nurses have spent over 25 years in the hospital setting watching and monitoring thousands of fetal monitor strips. Our nurses spent countless hours at the bedside explaining to parents, just like you, what happened during the birth and what to expect next with your baby. They spent countless hours listening to and comforting parents, just like you, that were just told that their baby was injured during the birth process and may develop Cerebral Palsy.
The Beasley Cerebral Palsy and Birth Injury Firm really does understand what you and your family are faced with now, and in the future. Our collective knowledge assisted in obtaining two of the largest medical negligence verdicts in Pennsylvania history, $100 million and $55 million, as well as countless other multimillion dollar judgments and settlements. The Beasley Medical Negligence and Cerebral Palsy law firm is nationally recognized and has awarded over $2 billion for our clients.
If your child has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP), please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia birth injury attorneys at 800.588.0130. Be sure to subscribe to our Philadelphia Cerebral Palsy blog to stay updated on all the new and recent information to keep you informed.
