Texas Birth Injury Lawyer | What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

What Causes Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is not a single condition. In fact, cerebral palsy is a range of conditions. There are different types of this disorder, such as dyskinetic cerebral palsy. The birth injuries that cause cerebral palsy can do multiple types of damage, but they all do have some characteristics in common that make them part of one specific disorder.

Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage. During the birthing process or sometime shortly after, the infant's brain is damaged in a way that makes it extremely difficult for them to exert any control over their motor functions. The muscles will tend to spasm uncontrollably. This will make activities such as walking, picking up small objects, writing, opening doors and so forth very difficult, in some cases. Because brain damage can be severe or minor, there are people with cerebral palsy who exhibit very few symptoms. There are people with cerebral palsy who go on to become doctors, lawyers and other professionals in fields where an extremely high level of intellectual development is required.

There are people with cerebral palsy who suffer severe symptoms, however. Such individuals generally spend their whole life in a wheelchair and, in many cases, may never be able to live independently. This means that they require a lifetime of care. This care can be extremely expensive and, in some cases, individuals may find themselves suffering to the point where they're unable to afford the type of care they need to deal with their medical condition properly.

Problems During Delivery

Cerebral palsy can be caused by asphyxiation during the birth process. When the child's air is cut off, their brain suffers a distinctive injury that ends up causing cerebral palsy. There are sometimes accompanying complications that go along with cerebral palsy, as well. For example, many people with cerebral palsy also have significant difficulties hearing and speaking.

Is there a cure?

Cerebral palsy is not curable. Current medical science cannot repair a brain injury. For this reason, people whose children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy will inevitably have to deal with all of the medical problems that accompany it. In some cases, these parents choose to file a lawsuit against the doctor or healthcare facility that was responsible for the damage. These lawsuits sometimes payout in the millions of dollars and, in some instances, they help the family to pay the very high medical expenses associated with getting effective treatment for cerebral palsy disorders and the accompanying complications.