Cerebral Palsy | The First 3 Things You Should Do If You Suspect CP

If your child suffers baby brain damage, cerebral palsy can be one of the potential outcomes. This condition is characterized by difficulty with motor activities, uneven muscle tone and, in some cases, significant cognitive impairments. The treatment of cerebral palsy can be very expensive and, in some cases, the injury that causes this condition could have been avoided. Here are three things you need to do if your child is suspected of having cerebral palsy or if your child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

1. Testing

There is a specific set of tests that have to be run to determine whether or not your child has cerebral palsy. They include MRI scans, laboratory testing, clinical examination of the infant and an examination of the birth circumstances, among other criteria. Make sure all of this is taken care of so that you are sure of your child's condition. Even though medical negligence may have played a role in your child sustaining this injury, you won't know this until an examination is completed.

2. Planning

You have to start planning how you are going to take care of your child. Children with cerebral palsy will have special needs and often need assistive care. They may need to be fed in a certain way or to have their muscles massaged or other treatments to help alleviate CP symptoms. Your healthcare providers can provide you with this information as well as provide you with the necessary training required to adequately care for the child. You will also have to start planning out how you're going to pay for future medical costs as they are more than likely going to increase over time.

3. Attorneys

If it turns out that medical negligence led to the birth injury that subsequently caused the cerebral palsy, you may wish to speak with an attorney. Parents have received settlements well into the tens of millions of dollars for cerebral palsy injuries that their children have suffered. This money can help pay for the costs of ongoing treatment  and assistive care. You can generally speak with an attorney at a free consultation where they will go over your options with you and discuss how best to proceed.