Cerebral Palsy – Who Is Responsible?

Written By: David Halbert on July 15, 2010 No Comment

Birth injuries are one of the most awful incidents that can happen to a child. They have varying effects according to the nature of the injury or disease and can be painful for the family members as well. Some infants recover from the injuries completely within a few months, while others may have to bear its effects over a longer period of time.

Children get birth injuries or are prone to disorders at the stage of birth; one of them being cerebral palsies (CP). In this kind of disorder, the muscle tone, movement, and motor skills of an infant are affected. The child may not properly learn the ability to move or may lose the ability to focus on something. Other problems associated with cerebral palsy are hearing and speech problems that evolve as a child grows. All in all, the learning abilities of a child become adversely affected and they may worsen with time.

An unfortunate case of birth injury can be traumatic for everyone involved. It becomes almost unbearable to see a child suffering. Some cases are so severe that they may require surgery and rehabilitation to bring them back to life again. On the part of the parents it is important to assess who is responsible for the injury and what type of compensation can be acquired as in the case of cerebral palsy. There is no cure, only the hope of some form of rehabilitation which may involve money being spent.

It is the responsibility of both the mother and the doctor to take care of the child before, during and after birth. Though the exact causes have not been yet discovered, but cerebral palsy may be a result of pregnancy problems. The brain does not develop normally due to infections or maternal health problems.

It may even be the case of misjudgment on the part of the medical staff in estimating the baby’s accurate weight prior to the delivery time. The oversized baby can be a risk and the doctors are held responsible if they fail to inform the parents of the risks involved in delivering.

Many a times, it is the responsibility of the mother to take proper care. Not just a healthy pregnancy must be ensured but also a healthy diet, even before conceiving. Medical problems must be diagnosed and treated properly. After conception, medication should be taken with consultation of the gynaecologist, if and when necessary, in order to avoid disorders or problems in the children.

Moreover, a woman should constantly keep a check on her health statistics like diabetes, hypertension, anaemia and nutritional deficiencies to help prevent premature births. After birth, family members and medical staffs must handle the infant with proper care, in order to keep it safe from brain defects.

Causes of cerebral palsy are also because of medical negligence to a certain extent, wherein doctors or nurses may fail to treat the mother properly. Proper and regular check up of a woman is required throughout the nine months. The development of a foetus must be followed properly to avoid any disorders from maturing later on. Cerebral palsy may also be a consequence of lack of oxygen, so care needs to be taken during the delivery process.

Find more aboutCerebral palsy here.