By Allen Batson

In the term 'cerebral palsy,' cerebral means of, or having to do with, the cerebrum. Called the telencephalon during fetal development, the cerebrum together with the diencephalon make up the forebrain, the outer-most area of the brain just behind the forehead and underneath the most forward looking portion of the skull. The word palsy refers to the uncontrolled muscle movements that are characteristic of the disorder. Cerebral Palsy is neither progressive nor contagious. If your child has CP, you should contact a birth injury attorney.

As your birth injury attorney will inform you, the cost of cerebral palsy over the course of your child's lifetime will be enormous. CP is the result of damage to the motor control system. In addition to the spastic movements, CP is sometimes accompanied by epilepsy. Additionally, secondary problems can arise due to the interference the condition places on the development of other body systems, including the development of the skeleton, including the spine.

Cerebral palsy is a permanent condition, which is one of the reasons a birth injury attorney is required. CP is a permanent disability that includes secondary interference with movement, muscle control development and even skeletal damage. Additionally, victims can have epilepsy and/or impairment in perception and/or sensory processing, communication and cognition.

For all the reasons outlined above, you must retain the services of a birth injury attorney to obtain whatever the courts will allow by way of damages caused by medical malpractice. Damage to the cerebrum can be caused by non-standard medical care during pregnancy or during birth: applying too much force when using forceps, for example. Cerebral palsy has no cure. Physical and drug therapy can help ameliorate additional problems and complications arising from the condition.

The financial cost of care and lost income in caring for a person with mild CP over the course of their lifetime is nearly $1,000,000, according to a study done in 2003. For severe cases, that figure can triple.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment

top