Cerebral Palsy Information | What is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy?

What is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy?

There are several different types of baby injuries that may result in cerebral palsy. They all, however, stem from the child being starved of oxygen. This can happen because the child becomes strangled by the umbilical cord in the womb or because of physician negligence during the birthing process. There are cases where this injury is completely unavoidable and where no one is to blame. There are, however, also cases where there is definitely blame to lay at the feet of the doctor, nurses or hospital. Ataxic cerebral palsy is one of the more common forms of this birth injury.

Ataxic cerebral palsy results when the infant’s cerebellum is injured due to the lack of oxygen. This results in the child having issues with muscle control. Like all other forms of cerebral palsy, this type also sometimes involves significant learning disabilities, speech difficulties and hearing problems. The most notable feature of this injury, however, is the tremor that oftentimes manifests when the affected individual tries to perform tasks that require fine motor control.

The tremor that affects these individuals oftentimes worsens the harder they try to stay steady. For instance, if a person with ataxic CP tries to pick up a pen, they’ll often begin shaking worse and worse the longer and harder they persist at the effort. This is sometimes controlled, to some degree, with drug therapies.

This injury and its effects will not heal. The injury is not degenerative, though symptoms may sometimes worsen over time. In any case, people who suffer this disorder usually need some assistance with their everyday lives. Of course, they also need extra help when they’re children and, in the most severe cases, they may need around-the-clock care for their entire lives. This means the families that suffer these injuries, when those injuries could have been prevented, may have a legal recourse if their child was injured due to negligent medical care.

There are lawyers who specialize in providing services to families affected by birth injuries such as these. If you believe that your child was injured as the result of a doctor or hospital that didn’t live up to their obligations, you may want to consult with an attorney. These attorneys sometimes work on contingency. This means you don’t have to pay them if they fail to win your claim or a settlement.