Health Law

Newborns and Cerebral Palsy

Every expecting mother worries about the health of their child during pregnancy and there's nothing more important to the majority of parents than having a healthy baby. However, due to certain circumstances, sometimes beyond our control and other times the result of medical malpractice, babies are born with brain injuries and other health complications that can lead to cerebral palsy and other disabilities. As a result, newborns can develop life altering impairments for which they may have to receive life long treatment for, since in the case of cerebral palsy there is no cure.  
 
What is Cerebral Palsy?
 
Cerebral palsy is a disorder that negatively impacts the central nervous system in the body of newborns. The disability can even develop in a child in their first two years of life due to complications during birth. Cerebral palsy causes damage to the cerebrum, which is the part of the brain that is mainly largely responsible for our overall motor function as human beings.
 
Those who have cerebral palsy often encounter a symptom known as spasticity. Spasticity is when there is an increase in muscle tone and a contraction occurs that interferes with the body's normal movement. This symptom of cerebral palsy can affect any part of the  body from a single limb to the entire body. 
 
Some other symptoms of cerebral palsy are:
 

• Seizures
• Hearing and vision deficits
• Learning disabilities
• Lack of muscle coordination
• Flacid muscle tone

Although there is no way to cure cerebral palsy in newborns or as they age, there are many ways to treat the disability so those affected can lead somewhat normal lives. Above all, it is important to take the right steps toward proper health care during and after pregnancy to ensure your infant isn't affected by this life-changing disability.

Full post as published by Cerebral Palsy Law Blog on November 02, 2009 (boomark / email).