Baltimore Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
Was Your Child Injured at Birth? We Can Help You Seek Justice.
If you believe a medical mistake directly caused your child’s cerebral palsy, you have the right to seek justice and compensation. Although they are highly trained professionals, doctors and hospital workers can still make mistakes during the delivery process. With the help of a Baltimore birth injury lawyer from The Law Office of Snyder & Snyder, P.A., you can seek to hold all responsible parties accountable.
Here are a few examples of the medical mistakes that can be made during a child delivery that have resulted in children being born with cerebral palsy and other types of birth injuries:
- The child is left in the birth canal for too long, resulting in a lack of oxygen to the brain
- The inability to recognize and properly treat seizures that follow a child’s delivery
- Failure to identify and address a prolapsed umbilical cord
- Using forceps improperly and excessive vacuum extraction
- Failure to perform a cesarean section (C-section) when fetal distress should arise
- Inability to respond to any changes that may occur in the fetal heart rate
- Inability to respond to the mother’s conditions as they change
- Failure to diagnose jaundice in a timely manner or employ proper treatment
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
The term “cerebral palsy” (CP) describes a group of chronic conditions that can hinder or inhibit both the movements and motor skills of the body, as well as coordination of the muscles. Such a condition may occur due to damage to specific areas of the brain that may happen during fetal development or infancy, and may also occur at any point before, during, or after the birthing process.
CP manifests within the first few years of the child’s life, but the symptoms do not progress over time. Damage to the areas of the brain that govern movement and posture are the cause of cerebral palsy. The ensuing damage causes permanent irregularities in the brain’s functioning, making it difficult for those with cerebral palsy to perform tasks that others would otherwise take for granted.
What Are the Symptoms?
A person with cerebral palsy has suffered an injury of the brain and is unable to utilize certain muscles in their body in a normal fashion. Children with cerebral palsy may be inhibited from walking, talking, eating, or playing. Symptoms vary between each individual. Examples of cerebral palsy symptoms include a lack of motor tasks (particularly those that require agility), lack of balance, spastic movements and speech impediments. Some CP patients may experience seizures and mental handicaps.
Research & Treatments
Although cerebral palsy has been studied extensively for over one hundred years, it is incurable. Research on the causes and treatment of cerebral palsy continues. Unfortunately, there is no standard therapy that effectively treats all patients. Through education, therapy, and applied technology, treatment only addresses symptoms and helps those with cerebral palsy lead productive lives.
An estimated 500,000 Americans suffer from cerebral palsy, and the rate of CP births has not slowed down—despite medical advances. If you believe your child’s severe birth injuries were the direct result of medical negligence, we encourage you to contact the Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Snyder & Snyder, P.A. today for a free, no-obligation case consultation.
Call our office today at (410) 983-3535 to speak with a member of our team.