Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in Wyoming, Michigan
At Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys, our Wyoming cerebral palsy lawyers understand the hardships associated with a developmental disability. Children with birth injuries, brain damage, and developmental disabilities are often forced to adapt, with whatever support available, to the many challenges they face physically, medically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. Unfortunately, while a large number of cerebral palsy cases are the result of medical malpractice, few of the families with children affected by CP will reach out for legal help.
In this section, we’ll offer a brief overview of cerebral palsy—what the condition is, its signs and symptoms, the diagnostic process, treatment opportunities, and the legal options available to families around the Wyoming, Michigan area. We encourage you to peruse the information available throughout our website and contact our Wyoming cerebral palsy lawyers and experts with any questions or concerns. You may contact Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in any of the following ways:
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Call us toll-free at (888) 592-1857
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What is Cerebral Palsy? The Basics of Birth Injury
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition characterized by various movement impairments—primarily coordination, control, muscle tone, reflexes, balance, posture, and gait. Cerebral palsy occurs when injuries to the developing brain damage the cerebrum, which is the largest region of the brain as a whole. Cerebral palsy often occurs before, during, or just after the process of labor and delivery and prompts lifelong, non-progressive side effects disturbing movement, learning ability, cognition, the senses, and more. While CP isn’t life-threatening, it doesn’t have a known cure. As a result, cerebral palsy patients are encouraged to participate in specialized medical and therapeutic rehabilitation programs, procedures, and activities.
Cerebral Palsy in Wyoming, Michigan
Our Wyoming Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Discuss CP and Birth-Related Brain Injury
In many cases, cerebral palsy is inflicted during pregnancy, in the process of labor and delivery, or just after birth. In this section, we’ll discuss a few ways medical professionals cause cerebral palsy through the misdiagnosis or mismanagement of pregnancy conditions and complications. Our Wyoming cerebral palsy lawyers have handled a wide range of CP cases caused by the following instances of negligence and medical malpractice:
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the leading causes of cerebral palsy. Also known as birth asphyxia, HIE is a form of brain injury that occurs when the brain receives inadequate amounts of during development. As you’ll read here and on our more comprehensive HIE webpage, a number of common pregnancy complications and conditions can lead to hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy when mismanaged by medical professionals. Because HIE is such a serious condition, it is crucial for medical professionals to prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage the conditions that may cause it. Additionally, when medical professionals suspect that HIE occurred, it is the standard of care to perform hypothermia treatment to halt any residual infant brain damage. Below we’ve listed some of the conditions of pregnancy and delivery that, when mismanaged, may cause hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and resultant cerebral palsy:
- Placental abruption, which occurs when the placenta separates from the uterus before delivery begins, limits the flow of oxygenated blood to the baby. Tearing of the placenta and the resultant maternal bleeding can vary in severity—the greater the bleeding or tearing, the greater the chance of oxygen deprivation, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, brain damage, and cerebral palsy.
- Infections in the mother such as Group B Strep, UTIs, bacterial vaginosis (BV), and others may pass to the baby through the placenta or during delivery. When left undiagnosed or untreated, infections may compromise fetal brain development and result in cerebral palsy or related disorders.
- Umbilical cord problems such as nuchal cords, prolapsed cords, and compressed umbilical cords are all conditions that compromise the functional ability of the umbilical cord, which is the baby’s lifeline to important nutrients and blood gases. Interruptions in the passage of oxygenated blood increase the chance that a baby will develop HIE, brain damage, and cerebral palsy.
- Premature birth is one of the most highly recognized causes of cerebral palsy. Since premature babies’ organs and systems often are not able to handle the insults of delivery, they have higher chances of respiratory failures, traumatic birth injuries, HIE, cerebral palsy, and related complications.
- Babies from post term pregnancies (post term deliveries take place after 37 weeks of gestation) are at greater risk for HIE and cerebral palsy. After 37 weeks, the placenta loses surface area and productivity, limiting oxygen to the baby and, in roughly 20% of cases, causing postmaturity syndrome. Additionally, post term babies are more likely to endure fetal distress, macrosomia and traumatic birth injury, cord compression, meconium aspiration syndrome, and related conditions.
Many more complications and conditions of pregnancy may cause HIE, brain damage, and cerebral palsy when mismanaged by a medical professional. To learn more, visit our complete Causes & Risk Factors section here.
Cerebral Palsy Treatment and Therapy
While there is no single treatment for cerebral palsy, the treatment and therapy options available to individuals with cerebral palsy are as plentiful, advanced, and enjoyable as ever. The treatment programs available to CP patients are just as varied and personalized as each patient’s specific condition—for every side effect, a procedure, rehabilitation activity, or adaptive technology exists to improve it.
Below we’ve listed a few of the many treatment options available to people with cerebral palsy. To learn more about CP treatment and therapy, visit our comprehensive Cerebral Palsy Treatments and Therapies section.
- Adaptive Equipment & Assistive Technologies
- Wheelchairs, electric scooters, mechanical lifts, walkers, and braces
- Orthotics
- Adaptive vehicles, bikes and car seats
- Adaptive eating and writing utensils
- Speech-generating computers, smart phones, touch screens, Braille systems, and hearing aids
- Adaptive art supplies, sports equipment, and toys
- Medical Treatment
- Therapies
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language therapy
- Complementary and alternative therapies: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), suit therapy, nutrition and diet therapy, Cranial Sacral therapy, yoga, Reiki, behavioral therapy and counseling, and other alternate therapies can supplement traditional therapy programs to add more breadth, enjoyment, or physical, emotional, cognitive, or social improvement to a patient’s life.
- Recreational therapy: Special camps, animal therapy (hippotherapy), sports therapy, aquatic therapy, play therapy, art therapy, and more.
- Stem cell therapy
- Conductive education (CE)
Legal Help for Cerebral Palsy and Birth Injury
Wyoming Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Helping Medical Malpractice Victims
As parents seek medical and financial security for their children with CP, considering a medical malpractice investigation may be beneficial. If you suspect that some medical error occurred during pregnancy or delivery—whether it be an error of diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or management—our Wyoming cerebral palsy attorneys urge you to come forward with your questions. Our cerebral palsy attorneys are committed to providing the best possible care for children with disabilities. They have decades of experience in medical malpractice litigation and prioritize personal, close relationships with their clients in order to secure the best possible medical, financial, and rehabilitative opportunities for them. To learn more about whether our birth injury legal team can assist you with your case, call Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys toll-free at (888) 592-1857 or fill out our online contact form here.