Cerebral palsy is a condition in the brain that affects movement. This permanent condition affects the cerebrum and its connections to the cortex and cerebellum – an issue that creates motor disabilities. Symptoms of cerebral palsy include posture issues, reflex problems, coordination issues, spasms, balance issues, impaired senses, problems with mobility, involuntary movements, decreased muscle mass, and scissor walking.
Cerebral palsy has a number of different causes – but about five percent of children with cerebral palsy are injured during the birthing process. In many of these cases, the hospital and health professionals who assisted you during labor were careless or negligent during the birth process and caused your baby’s condition. In some cases, the baby’s treatment in the hours and days after birth can cause cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy can be caused under the following circumstances:
· Health professionals leave the baby in the birth canal for too long, where he or she does not receive enough oxygen for their brain to function.
· Health professionals do not recognize and treat an umbilical cord that is wrapped around the baby’s neck, cutting off oxygen supply (prolapsed cord).
· Health professionals misuse forceps when delivering the baby.
· Health professionals misuse the vacuum extractor while delivering the baby.
· Health professionals misuse the fetal heart rate monitor or misread the fetal heart rate monitor.
· Health professionals do to opt for a C-section when it becomes clear the baby is in distress or has other issues that would make a natural birth difficult (high birth rate, breech birth, multiple births, etc.)
· Health professionals did not quickly diagnose and treat your infant’s seizures after birth.