Cerebral Palsy: Understanding the Disorder

Cerebral palsy refers to a group of conditions that results from a brain injury and is known by certain common symptoms. The symptom that most people are familiar with is the stiffness and floppiness of the muscles. Sometimes, people assume that those with CP who are in wheelchairs and don't have functioning legs, but this is not always the case. Oftentimes, their legs work, but the disorder causes enough problems with muscle tone that walking is basically too complex an activity for them to tackle. Ataxic cerebral palsy is particularly known for the shaking it causes when people try to walk.

Cerebral palsy causes speech and learning problems for some individuals, but not for others. Sometimes, you'll see individuals who have a hard time walking but who are fully there from a cognitive standpoint. In some cases, people will CP can even get around without crutches and only have a slight limp. This might become more pronounced sometimes; CP sufferers routinely have days when their muscles are more sore and cramped than they are on others.

Cerebral palsy is not a degenerative condition, so sufferers will not end up having more severe cognitive difficulties as they age. The muscle symptoms sometimes become a bit more difficult for older individuals to deal with, however. There are some good therapies in use and new ones are being developed all the time, so there is always hope that individuals who suffer from this disorder can get more out of life with a new therapy. Some CP sufferers are quite active, even participating in competitive events to stay fit and healthy.

People with a very severe brain injury may end up in a wheelchair for their whole lives, but even in these cases there are some very exciting types of technology about that help them to be less isolated. There are even motion-activated typing consoles that let people with severe CP communicate through writing and, of course, go to school.

Cerebral palsy is sometimes caused by medical negligence. In these cases, the doctor may have waited too long to perform a C-section, may have gotten the child into a position where they were strangulated or may have committed some other negligent act that led to the child suffering the injury. In these cases, lawyers can sometimes prepare a legal action that can win the family compensation from a jury award or a settlement that can pay for the costs of treatment.

Get this valuable book from The Legal Insider’s Guide Series - The Epidemic of Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Mistakes & Understanding Your Rights at no cost to you and your family and learn about birth injuries, cerebral palsy and your legal rights.

Inside his FREE book, The Epidemic of Birth Injuries Caused by Medical Mistakes & Understanding Your Rights, Dallas personal injury attorney Jeffrey Rasansky explains the concept of a birth injuries and medical mistakes and how they may have led to your child's cerebral palsy.

You will find valuable information about:

• Types and causes of birth injuries
• Medical malpractice and birth injury statistics
• How medical malpractice cases are evaluated
• In-depth review of actual case files and lessons learned
• The legal process and choosing the right attorney

and much, much more!   Get your copy of the book today! CLICK HERE