Cerebral palsy, the most common childhood disability, damages the neurological and musculoskeletal functions of your child’s developing brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such impaired physical functions have four categories: stiff muscles, uncontrollable movements, poor balance and coordination, and a mix of three types.
Several factors can cause cerebral palsy, but in most Oregon cases, it results from a birth injury sustained during pregnancy, while in labor or shortly after birth. Thus, a healthcare provider’s failure to uphold a reasonable standard of care could give rise to a medical malpractice claim.
Human errors at the expense of human lives
There are cases when your child’s condition is due to unavoidable genetic causes. But since it commonly boils down to oxygen deprivation, it points to the following oversights before, during or after birth.
- Failure to diagnose maternal infections
- Failure to detect fetal distress
- Failure to actively treat jaundice
- Failure to handle umbilical cord complications
- Failure to treat hemorrhages and brain bleeding
- Failure to deliver through a cesarean section during emergencies
- Insufficient and improper prenatal monitoring
- Excessive use of Pitocin or other labor-inducing drugs
- Placing extraordinary pressure using sharp or rough medical equipment
Sadly, there is no known cure for cerebral palsy. The most you can do is devise a sustainable treatment plan with a team of medical professionals to manage your child’s symptoms.
A fragile future
It feels uncalled for when your innocent, defenseless child undergoes hardship. As a parent or a loved one, you know you’d give anything to take the pain away from them. Taking action for your child’s vulnerable condition can mean filing a lawsuit and seeking accountability where it is due.