Cerebral palsy is a general term used by the medical profession to describe a group of conditions that cause movement problems. The condition is caused by damage or faulty development to the part of the brain responsible for sending messages to the muscles responsible for co-ordination and movement. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 500 babies born in the UK every year is diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
There are many different types of cerebral palsy and the symptoms of the condition can vary greatly from child to child depending on the part of brain affected. Some common symptoms include an inability to walk, talk, learning difficulties, epilepsy and visual and hearing impairment.
Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the brain usually during labour or in the few hours or days after birth. The damage can occur as a result of a difficult or mis-managed labour, as a result of infection during pregnancy or it can occur due to abnormal development of the baby’s brain during pregnancy.
Cerebral palsy is a non progressive disorder which means that it will not get any worse throughout the child’s life. Children affected by the condition are, however, sometimes profoundly disabled and often require 24 hour care and assistance. Families affected often find that the diagnosis has catastrophic effects on their lives and financial situation.
If you or your child are affected by cerebral palsy and you believe that it may have been caused by a mis-managed labour or another form of medical accident one of our specialist birth injury solicitors may be able to help for free initial advice call us on 0845 144 1441.
