Spastic Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Explains Important Medical and Legal Points of CP
Spastic cerebral palsy is a type of cerebral palsy. Our lawyer handling spastic cerebral palsy in Oregon knows how devastating this condition can be for a victim and his or her family. So before understanding spastic cerebral palsy it is important to know what cerebral palsy is and how it can affect a child. Parents are always concerned about the health of their children. They want their children to fit and playful at all times. To do so, parents spend a lot of time and money on their kids. Under such circumstances, any disease to the kid can cause serious concerns for parents. If there are signs that the disease could be permanent bring about a lot of pain and suffering. One of such permanent diseases includes cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy affects the basic day-to-day life of a kid. It affects the caregivers and the parents as well if it is a case of moderate or severe CP. Out of the four categories of cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsy is the most common. This article has been written to serve as a guide to all such parents whose kids are suffering from this disease and meant to show some insights into the disease. This reference which has been drafted by our Oregon spastic cerebral palsy lawyers is not meant to replace any medical advice from a licensed doctor.
How is Cerebral Palsy Defined?
Cerebral Palsy is a number of disorders that is caused by any damage the human brain. These disorders include movement, posture, muscle tone issues. It affects children and hinders their cognitive and muscular development. A child with this condition could have difficulty in walking. The word “cerebral” is used to refer to the brain and the word “palsy” is used to refer to difficulty in muscle.
The damage that is caused to the brain is often permanent and its effects could range from mild to very severe. It is often difficult to find out symptoms of cerebral palsy because a small baby is not expected to make significant muscular movement or have much cognitive abilities. Thus, parents should always keep track of all the milestones that are a part of the baby’s progress. If there is any lack of progress then the detection of the condition can be made early and the doctors can start on a treatment as soon as possible.
Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy in the United States
In the United States, cerebral palsy is uncommon. It also affects children across the world. A research study has found out that almost 1.5 to 4 out of every 1000 children in the world, with the United States having figures that are grouped tighter at 3.1 to 3.6 out of every 1,000 live births.
Cerebral palsy is one of the more common pathologies affecting movement in children. It occurs to children all over the world and much research into the epidemiology of cerebral palsy has been performed.
As mentioned above, spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type of cerebral palsy. A research study has found out that around 80% of all cerebral palsy cases are spastic cerebral palsy and it occurs in every 1.3 to 3 per 1,000 live births. Spastic cerebral palsy can be further broken down into bilateral spastic cerebral palsy. Bilateral spastic cerebral palsy occur in around 0.8 to 1.5 children out of 1,000 live births. Meanwhile unilateral spastic cerebral palsy accounts for 0.1 to 0.6 per 1,000 live births.
What are the Known Causes of Cerebral Palsy?
There are no direct causes of cerebral palsy. A variety of factors combine to lead to the development of the disease. The most importance aspect of it is to figure out whether the damage to the brain occurred, during development, before, during, or after birth. If the damage happened prior or during the birth it is known as congenital. If the damage to the brain took place 28 days after the birth it is called as acquired. Some of the common factors leading to the disease include:
- Infection suffered by the mother during pregnancy.
- Diseases suffered by the child such as jaundice and kerniceterus
- The child being born with a low birth weight.
- The child being born as a part of twins, triplets, etc.
- Birth complications such as uterine rupture or detachment of the placenta.
Understanding the Different Types of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is generally classified on terms of its impact on a child’s basic movements. The four classifications include:
- Spastic cerebral palsy
- Dyskinetic cerebral palsy
- Ataxic cerebral palsy
- Mixed cerebral palsy
Understanding Spastic Cerebral Palsy in Oregon Due to Medical Malpractice
Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common variety of cerebral palsy usually characterized by high muscle tone. This kind of cerebral palsy makes movements hard. Due to the high level of muscle tightness, the movements of a child could seem unnatural. The impact of this variation is felt on different regions of the body and its severity is dependent upon the location and amount of damage that took place in the brain.
Spastic cerebral palsy is further divided into three subcategories, which include:
- Spastic diplegia
- Spastic hemiplegia
- Spastic quadriplegia
Further information on these types of cerebral palsy have been given below by our Oregon cerebral palsy lawyers:
Spastic Diplegia
In spastic diplegia, the child’s legs are usually affected. Some of the symptoms of the disease include severe tightness in the leg muscles. These symptoms are very difficult to notice in the first year of birth and it is only noticeable when the child starts to crawl or walk.
To find it out early, parents can look for some signs such as the child preferring to sit in a “W” position. The child does so because it puts relatively less pressure on his tight muscles. A second prominent symptom is if the child starts to crawl with the use of his arms alone.
Spastic Hemiplegia
Spastic Hemiplegia is slightly less common than diplegia but it accounts for near about 30% of the cases. In this type of cerebral palsy only side of the body is affected usually one arm or one leg. The upper body is affected more than the lower body. Some of the common symptoms include tightness of the muscles in the hand.
Children suffering from this cerebral palsy have difficulty in eating or writing. The affected arm is used very less by the child and it further affects the movement of that arm.
Spastic Quadriplegia
Spastic Quadriplegia is the most severe form of cerebral palsy. A child suffering from it has a high muscle presence in all of his limbs. The children suffering from it struggle with all of the milestones in childhood such as walking, crawling, and even sitting. These children are also confined to the wheelchair and require assistance for basic functions like bathing. They also suffer from intellectual disabilities and have a lower life expectancy.
It is important for you as a parent to detect cerebral palsy in your child as soon as possible. If you suspect that the cerebral palsy has been caused due to medical malpractice by an Oregon doctor or a nurse, then you should call one of our expert Oregon spastic cerebral palsy lawyers. Our expert Oregon spastic cerebral palsy lawyers will give you a free review of your case and help in deciding the path you should take.
Treatment for Spastic Cerebral Palsy in Oregon
There is no cure as such for cerebral palsy. Various treatments are used to improve muscular strength in order to help movements.
Medication Use
Pharmacological treatment is a line of treatment for spastic cerebral palsy. Baclofen is a medication that can used to decrease the muscle tone and help with the various movements undertaken by the child. Botox can be used to help tight muscles to relax. Sometimes even surgeries are performed to increase flexibility of tight muscles if medications fail to show effective results.
Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy
Therapy is one the main treatments for cerebral palsy. The therapies can be in the form of physical, occupational, and speech. Once the medical professionals confirm the disease then the physical and occupational therapies are given. These therapies help to bring back muscular function and help to improve them.
A child suffering from spastic diplegia usually suffers from a scissoring walking pattern. Thus the therapist tries to improve the stretching of the hamstrings, adductors and calves.
A child suffering from spastic quadriplegia has more severe symptoms and requires stronger therapy. These children suffer from spasticity in their arms, trunks, legs, and necks. The therapist tries to reduce the tightness in the biceps, forearm, hand muscles and neck muscles by making the child stretch which targets these muscles.
The speech therapists help to improve the child’s speaking skills and communication abilities. They can help to train the child to use communication devices if necessary.
These therapies have been made available by a federal law named as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law provides for services to children suffering from cerebral palsy from birth till 21 years of age. Our lawyers handling spastic cerebral palsy lawyers in Oregon are well versed with this law, feel free to give us call for a free consultation.
If Your Child Was Diagnosed With Spastic Cerebral Palsy in Oregon, Call Us
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
