17 Feb Cerebral Palsy: Understanding the Complexities Involved in Treatment and Diagnosis

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Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of permanent movement disorders that directly impact muscle tone and posture. The primary cause of these disorders is brain damage before, during, or shortly after birth. While the condition itself presents a complex set of challenges, understanding the intricacies involved in diagnosis and treatment can help make things better for individuals with CP and their families.

A Major Issue Related to the Treatment of Cerebral Palsy

While you must educate yourself about diagnosis and treatment options, you must acknowledge a troubling aspect surrounding CP first: the potential for medical negligence. A large number of cerebral palsy cases are unfortunately linked to errors and omissions in medical care during labor, pregnancy, or delivery. These errors may include delayed or inappropriate C-sections, failure to monitor fetal distress, negligence in managing neonatal complications, and misuse of vacuum extractors or forceps.

If you think medical negligence has a role to play in your child’s condition, you should not take things lightly. You should file a cerebral palsy medical malpractice lawsuit to get fair compensation. The benefits you receive can be used to provide the best treatment to your child.

However, you need to work with a professional because establishing a direct relationship between medical mistakes and resulting brain damage is never a straightforward process. The medical profession tends to defend vigorously and insurance companies go the extra mile to contest such claims.  

Understanding the Condition

Whether you’re going to file a lawsuit or you simply want to understand more about your child’s condition, you should be ready to conduct your research. Cerebral palsy can be divided into different categories, depending on the type of movement disorder your child develops. Some of the most common ones include Spastic CP, Dyskinetic CP, Ataxic CP, and Mixed CP. 

You should also bear in mind that individuals with CP may not just experience motor impairments but may develop other associated conditions as well, such as epilepsy, intellectual disability, vision and hearing impairments, speech and language disorders, and orthopedic problems.

If you suspect your child is suffering from CP, you need to take a long diagnostic journey. For instance, healthcare providers will consider the mother’s pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as the child’s developmental milestones. Neurological examination is just as important, and it involves assessing reflexes, muscle tone, motor skills, and overall neurological function.

This is usually followed by developmental assessment, which involves evaluating the social, cognitive, and language skills of the patient. Brain imaging tests, including MRI scans are often performed to identify structural abnormalities in the brain.

Depending on the results of those diagnostic tests, a treatment routine is decided. Some common treatment options may include physical therapy to improve strength and flexibility, occupational therapy to improve fine motor skills, speech therapy to improve communication skills, and surgery. Some patients also need to use assistive devices, such as walkers, braces, and wheelchairs.

Endnote

Dealing with cerebral palsy is never easy, but it’s important to educate yourself about how to make the correct diagnosis and identify the best treatment options. Remember, the treatments are not going to be cheap, which is why you must seek legal assistance if you think medical malpractice is the reason why your child has developed this condition. 

More information:

• https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/cerebral-palsy
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cerebral-palsy/

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Last Updated on April 10, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD