Medical Malpractice: Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

There is nothing like the the joy of becoming a parent. Your baby reaching the expected milestones is something you look forward to: rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking and more. But what if your little one’s developmental timetable is delayed?

According to CerebralPalsy.org, many of the signs of cerebral palsy are not noticeable right after birth and can take up to 5 years to present. Most experts agree that the earlier a diagnosis, the earlier a child can enroll in early intervention programs.

There are eight clinical signs of cerebral palsy:

Muscle tone – The inability of muscles to work together to move the body.

Movement coordination and control – The inability to voluntarily control limbs and/or the jerking of some limbs.

Reflex – Certain abnormal reflexes will fade over time and some never fade. Certain reflexes disappear at predictable ages after birth; if your child’s do not, or new ones don’t develop, this may be an indicator of cerebral palsy.

Posture – Posture should be symmetrical, if it isn’t that means the limbs will not work together. Often in cerebral palsy, one leg will bend inward at the hip and the other outward.

Balance – Over time, your child should develop the strength and coordination to sit upright on their own without being supported. If they do not, this may be  sign of cerebral palsy.

Gross motor function – As your child develops, sign of delayed gross motor function may be noticeable. This includes delays in rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking and balancing.

Fine motor function – Fine motor skills involve a combination of both mental and physical skills to master. Examples of fine motor function are grasping at objects, holding objects between thumb and finger, setting objects down gently, using crayons and turning pages in a book.

Oral motor function – Children with cerebral palsy have difficulty using their lips, tongue and jaw. They often have difficulty speaking, swallowing, feeding/eating, and drooling.

If you suspect your child may have cerebral palsy, take them to their pediatrician for an evaluation immediately.

If your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it may be the result of medical malpractice. Call our office immediately. Our doctor/attorney Robert Messey and nurse/attorney Gayle Sullivan will begin a medical and legal investigation immediately.