For parents struggling with the effects of a child's cerebral palsy, the most common concern is the overwhelming needs of the affected child. If a child's cerebral palsy is caused by medical negligence a competent lawyer can be hired to aid in getting a fair compensation for the child.
By analyzing a child's symptoms the most likely cause can be traced back with the help of some medical records from the actual birth. One of the main questions asked is whether the child was left in the birth canal too long. This would have caused a lack of oxygen supply to the brain.
Doctors are required to take quick decisions in favor of a cesarean section if they see signs of fetal distress. Any delay in this causes harm to the fetus. A failure on the part of the doctor to diagnose and treat jaundice and meningitis could also cause irreparable damage.
There are several indicators of a medical mistake that could have caused cerebral palsy. An emergency delivery with forceps, vacuum extraction or an emergency cesarean section is an indicator of possible slip ups. If the newborn child required resuscitation (CPR) after birth, that could be a possible cause as well. If following delivery, your child was transferred to a different hospital, or spent time in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) some questions should be asked. It is important to determine whether it was anticipated, and if not, if any of this was the result of carelessness on the part of the staff.
If your child had seizures immediately after birth, or within the first 3-4 days of life the reasons have to be documented and substantiated. If your child required special testing after birth, such as an MRI, or brain scan it could indicate suspicions of brain damage. If your child required oxygen to facilitate breathing after birth, then the birth trauma could have caused brain damage. It is time to worry if an unscheduled visit from a specialist is arranged for your newborn.
