Have a child with Cerebral Palsy and would like to know the cause of your child's Cerebral Palsy? We Can Help.

What is the prevalence of Cerebral Palsy in the United States?

It is estimated that approximately 764,000 people in the United States have Cerebral Palsy.  Approximately 8,000 babies and newborns are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy each year.  In addition, approximately 1,200 to 1,500 preschoolers are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy each year.

What are the early signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Babies with Cerebral Palsy usually exhibit the early signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy by 18 months.  One of the most common signs of Cerebral Palsy is developmental delay.  Developmental delay means that the baby is slower than normal to reach developmental milestones such as rolling over, crawling, smiling, walking, etc.  Another sign of Cerebral Palsy is unusual muscle tone.  Hypotonia is abnormal flaccidity of the muscles.  Hypertonia is abnormal rigidity of the muscles.  Both hypotonia and hypertonia can be signs of Cerebral Palsy.  If you are concerned that your baby may be exhibiting signs of Cerebral Palsy, you should contact your baby's pediatrician as soon as possible.

How is Cerebral Palsy diagnosed?

To diagnose Cerebral Palsy doctors use a variety of tools, including motor skills testing; testing of the baby's reflexes; careful examination of the baby's and the mother's medical histories; and testing that identifies the early development of hand preference in the baby.  Your doctor may also order brain imaging tests such as CT, MRI, or ultrasound.  An electroencephalogram or EEG may also be performed.

What are the causes of Cerebral Palsy?

Many cases of Cerebral Palsy are caused by a lack of oxygen in the infant's brain suffered during the birthing process.  That is why Cerebral Palsy is often considered a birth injury.  The human brain, like every other organ in the body, needs a constant supply of oxygen.  If the brain is deprived of oxygen during birth, the cells in the brain begin to die.  Brain injuries caused by lack of oxygen in the brain are called hypoxic or anoxic brain injuries.  Hypoxic means abnormally low levels of oxygen to the brain.  Anoxic means the complete absence of oxygen to the brain.

Are there different types of Cerebral Palsy?

There are three basic kinds of Cerebral Palsy:  Spastic Cerebral Palsy; Athetoid or Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy; and Ataxic Cerebral Palsy.

Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common form of Cerebral Palsy.  70 to 80 percent of all cases of Cerebral Palsy fall into this category.  With this form of Cerebral Palsy, the muscles in the affected areas are permanently contracted and stiff.

Athetoid or Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy affects 10 to 20 percent of all Cerebral Palsy sufferers.  This form of Cerebral Palsy involves uncontrolled, slow, writhing movements of the affected body parts.  It can also affect the ability to speak and control the movements of the mouth and tongue.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy is a rare form of Cerebral Palsy that affects the sense of balance and depth perception.

Mixed Forms of Cerebral Palsy:  It is not unusual for patients to have characteristics of more than one of these three basic forms of Cerebral Palsy.

What treatments are available for Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is not curable.  However, Cerebral Palsy does not worsen over time.  If your child's condition is getting progressively worse, you should contact your child's pediatrician as soon as possible as your child may be suffering from another condition.

Treatment of Cerebral Palsy should be started as early as possible.  Treatment aims to improve quality of life, increase strength, and improve the patient's performance of daily living skills and activities.  Physical, occupational, and speech therapy are often prescribed.  Orthotic devices are often used.  Surgery and medications are also considered in appropriate cases.

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania there is a great treatment and support resource for parents of children with Cerebral Palsy called United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh.

The lawyers at Berger & Lagnese have a wealth of experience helping the parents of children with Cerebral Palsy determine the cause of their child's Cerebral Palsy, and helping them decide whether a medical malpractice lawsuit is appropriate.

If you have a child with Cerebral Palsy and you would like the attorneys at Berger & Lagnese to help you determine the cause of your child's Cerebral Palsy, call us at 412-471-4300 or toll free at 800-350-6161, or email us.  Berger & Lagnese has an experienced team of lawyers and doctors that specializes in medical malpractice, and works on cases in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Uniontown, Erie, Beaver, and Washington PA.

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Blog for Cerebral Palsy

• Cerebral palsy after birth injury during VBAC
• New research on risk of cerebral palsy
• Vitamins C and E Studied for Prevention of Preeclampsia
• Epilepsy Linked To Preeclampsia
• Cerebral palsy often not diagnosed until more than a year after birth
• Girl with Cerebral Palsy Uses Special Computer to Speak for the First Time
• Cerebral palsy caused by medical malpractice
• Robots Used to Teach People with Cerebral Palsy to Walk
• First Ever Approved Study for Cerebral Palsy Using Stem Cells
• New Guidelines for Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring
• Help Caring for Children with Cerebral Palsy
• Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Lawyer Resources for Parents
• Treatment to Delay Labor Decreases Preterm Infant Risk for Cerebral Palsy
• New Device to Help Those with Cerebral Palsy Walk
• Magnesium Sulfate Reduces Risk of Cerebral Palsy at Birth
• Cerebral Palsy: How Do You Find Out if it Was a Result of Malpractice?
• Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Lawyer
• Fan in Room Decreases SIDS
• Antibiotics for Preterm Labor Linked to Cerebral Palsy
• Pregnant Women in Rural Area at Increased Risk of Preeclampsia

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Library for Cerebral Palsy:

• Would you like to know whether your child's Spastic Cerebral Palsy was caused by medical malpractice? We can help.   
  Your child's Spastic Cerebral Palsy may be the result of medical malpractice. There is only one way to know for sure: Have a lawyer experienced in handling Cerebral Palsy and birth injury cases evaluate your labor and delivery medical records. The Cerebral Palsy lawyers at Berger & Lagnese in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will evaluate your records for free and find out for you whether medical malpractice caused your child's Spastic Cerebral Palsy. Call Berger & Lagnese today at 412-471-4300 or 1-800-350-6161.
• Want to know whether medical malpractice in the handling of your vasa previa caused your baby to suffer cerebral palsy? We can help you find out.   
  If your baby was seriously injured, suffered cerebral palsy, or died due to undiagnosed vasa previa, medical malpractice may have been the cause. To find out, you should call a law firm such as Pittsburgh-based Berger & Lagnese with experience handling birth injury medical malpractice cases involving vasa previa and cerebral palsy. The lawyers at Berger & Lagnese will evaluate your vasa previa case for free and help you find out whether your baby's cerebral palsy resulted from medical malpractice.
• VBAC, Medical Malpractice, and Cerebral Palsy   
  VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section) can result in uterine rupture which can lead to serious injury or death of mother and child. If you suffered a ruptured uterus during a VBAC, or your baby suffered serious injury during a VBAC, medical malpractice may be responsible for those injuries. This article will tell you what you need to know about VBAC and how VBAC can cause uterine rupture and other serious injury, including cerebral palsy, and death.
• Medical Malpractice During Childbirth   
  There are many types of medical malpractice that can occur during the birth of your baby. Medical malpractice during the birth of your child can lead to serious injury or death. If your baby suffered serious injury or death during birth, you will need to know whether medical malpractice caused your baby's injury. This article will identify and discuss some of the most common forms of medical malpractice that take place during childbirth.
• Placenta Previa, Medical Malpractice, and Cerebral Palsy   
  If your baby was seriously injured, suffered cerebral palsy, or died due to placenta previa, medical malpractice may have been the cause. To find out, you should call a law firm such as Berger & Lagnese with experience handling medical malpractice cases of placenta previa. The lawyers at Berger & Lagnese will evaluate your placenta previa case for free and help you determine if medical malpractice caused your baby's death or serious injury.
• Fetal Distress, Medical Malpractice, and Cerebral Palsy   
  If not diagnosed and properly treated, fetal distress can result in the serious injury or death of your baby. Cerebral palsy is among the serious injuries that can result from improperly treated fetal distress. If your baby died or suffered cerebral palsy or other serious injury at birth, you will need to find out whether medical malpractice caused your baby's injury. This article will give you the important facts you need to know about fetal distress. Berger & Lagnese is a law firm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that specializes in medical malpractice and birth injury and cerebral palsy cases.
• Medical Malpractice And Birth -- Know the Signs of Birth Injury   
  When committed in the setting of pregnancy and birth care, medical malpractice can have disastrous consequences, often in the forms of fetal death, life-long brain damage, and cerebral palsy. If you lost your baby, or your baby suffers from brain damage or cerebral palsy, you will need to find out whether your baby's injury or death resulted from medical malpractice. This article tells you what signs to look for to figure out whether your child suffered a birth injury
• Medical Malpractice During Pregnancy   
  Medical malpractice during your pregnancy can lead to serious maternal and/or fetal injury or death. If your baby was stillborn, died at birth, or suffered a serious injury during the birthing process, you will need to find out whether your baby's death or serious injury was the result of medical malpractice. To help you begin to answer this question, this article describes some of the most common forms of medical malpractice that can happen in the setting of your pregnancy.
• Fetal Ultrasound   
  Fetal ultrasound is used to identify problems during pregancy. If fetal ultrasound identifies a problem and action is not taken, serious injury or death to the baby or mother can result. Also, if the fetal ultrasound is misinterpreted, serious injury or death may occur. serious injury or death occurred, you will need to know whether it was caused by medical malpractice. This article will discuss the use of fetal ultrasound during pregnancy.
• What is Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring?   
  Fetal heart rate monitoring is used to identify problems during pregancy, labor and birth. If fetal heart rate monitoring identifies a problem and action is not taken, serious injury or death to the baby or mother can result. Also, if the fetal heart rate is misinterpreted, serious injury or death may occur. If serious injury or death occurred, you will need to know whether it was caused by medical malpractice. This article will discuss the use of fetal heart rate monitoring during pregnancy, labor and birth.
• Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Lawyer   
  Does your child have Cerebral Palsy? Was it caused by medical malpractice when delivering your baby? For free information about Cerebral Palsy, see the Cerebral Palsy Attorneys of Pennsyvlania. Find out what really happened during your medical treatment.

View All

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Frequent Questions for Cerebral Palsy:

• What is Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What causes Cerebral Palsy?
  
• Are there different types of Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What is Spastic Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What is Spastic Diplegia?
  
• What is Spastic Hemiplegia?
  
• What is Spastic Quadriplegia?
  
• What is Ataxic Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What is Athetoid Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy?
• What is Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What is Mixed Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What treatments are there for Cerebral Palsy?
  
• How is Cerebral Palsy diagnosed?
  
• What is an electroencephalogram
  or EEG?
• What are the signs and symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?
  
• How common is Cerebral Palsy?
  
• What is preterm labor?
• How long is a pregnancy that goes to full term?
• Was my child's cerebral palsy (CP) caused by something that happened when my child was born?

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Videos about Cerebral Palsy:

• Failure to Properly Diagnose and Treat Placenta Previa and Placental Abruption May be Malpractice
• Video Describing Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy for Cerebral Palsy
• National Statistics on Cerebral Palsy and Disabilities
• The History of United Cerebral Palsy
• Video Discussing Cerebral Palsy