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The Cause of Cerebral Palsy


The cause of cerebral palsy is an injury to an infants brain occurring before, during or shortly after delivery. This injury is irreversible and nothing can be done to undo the damage to the brain. The two main causes of this condition are failure of the brain to develop which is a naturally occurring phenomena and neurological damage to the child's brain which may be as a result of medical malpractice.

Many infants have a natural dysfunction of the brain which is often referred to as a birth defect as opposed to having been injured as a result of medical malpractice. A naturally occurring congenital malformation is almost always initially suspected especially when there is an absence of any of the well known medical negligence risk factors. Good prenatal care reduces the risk of birth defects although they can occur even when the mother has strictly followed good advice during pregnancy. The hard facts are that medical malpractice is the cause of cerebral palsy in only 10% of cases with the remaining 90% of cases being attributed to a birth defect.

There are a number of factors which appear to predispose a child to birth injury and the cause of cerebral palsy may include:

  • exposure of the expectant mother to certain infections including rubella and toxoplasmosis
  • exposure of the expectant mother to certain chemicals including alcohol, cigarettes and cocaine
  • prematurity
  • severe physcal trauma to the mother during pregnancy
  • low birth weight

Some of the errors made by healthcare professionals during delivery that can contribute to brain injury include:

  • failure to recognize and treat seizures following delivery
  • leaving the child in the birth canal too long causing a lack of oxygen to the brain
  • excessive use of vacuum extraction
  • failure to detect a prolapsed umbilical cord reducing oxygen supply
  • improper use of delivery forceps
  • not responding to changes in the fetal heart rate
  • failure to perform a c-section in the presence of fetal distress
  • failure to plan a c-section for a potentially large birth weight
  • failure to diagnose and treat jaundice or meningitis
  • failure to respond to the mother's high blood pressure or toxemia

The following factors may indicate medical malpractice and may justify further investigation into the cause of cerebral palsy:

  • resuscitation (CPR) after birth
  • emergency delivery with forceps, or by c-section
  • seizures immediately after birth, or within the first 3-4 days of life
  • special testing after birth, such as an MRI scan, CT scan or brain scan
  • transfer to an intensive care unit
  • a specialist was called to care for your baby
  • oxygen required to facilitate breathing after birth

Medical mistakes are responsible for many birth injury cases and it would be impossible for a parent, alone, to determine if medical malpractice caused their child's injury. It is only through the concerted and dedicated efforts of a legal and medical team that the cause can be ascertained.

Please consider our cerebral palsy information which contains an overview of this condition and its causes and if you believe that your child's condition is as a result of medical malpractice and you would like free advice on cerebral palsy settlements from a specialist attorney just complete the contact form and a member of The Association of Trial Lawyers of America will telephone to discuss your child's claim with no further obligation.