Finding out your child has cerebral palsy because of medical malpractice can be devastating, no matter how severe or minor the condition is. Cerebral palsy (CP) describes a group of disorders that occur when an infant’s brain is damaged. CP affects movement and muscle tone or posture and affects a child for the rest of their life, and many people do not understand the differences in cerebral palsy types. These are the four major categories of cerebral palsy.
Spastic (Pyramidal)
This is the most common type of cerebral palsy. It causes uncontrollable muscle actions and rigid joints. Although genetic problems can cause CP, it can result from injuries sustained from the birthing process. This type of palsy is usually evident in babies once they reach 18 months old.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Tremors are the leading indicator of ataxic cerebral palsy. Though voluntary motion is possible, uncontrollable shaking usually happens. People with this type of CP can live very healthy lives, but they must pay extra attention to their movements during simple tasks like eating, climbing stairs, driving, and engaging in sports.
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy
Athetoid is a relatively rare form of cerebral palsy. It tends to affect the muscles of the upper body the most. For this reason, vital actions like breathing and digestion are affected more than actions in large muscle groups.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Many cerebral palsy patients exhibit symptoms of several cerebral palsy types. These symptoms emerge with age, and they are challenging to pinpoint medically. People with mixed palsy must be supervised by a medical practitioner who specializes in treating palsy patients.
Do You Have a Medical Malpractice Case?
One of the most important jobs of a physician is ensuring that their patient is healthy. This is what makes it so difficult to find out your child is injured due to their negligence. Extensive treatment is needed for CP, which can become very expensive as the child will have the condition for the rest of their life. This can lead to many legal situations where a malpractice or personal injury attorney can provide beneficial information. With a serious condition like cerebral palsy, families need to understand their legal rights and options.
Contact Hope Law Firm today at (515) 298-5056 to learn more about your options from a medical malpractice attorney.