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Information On Cerebral Palsy


This site contains information on cerebral palsy that is not intended to be medical advice or legal which should only be obtained personally from a lawyer or a healthcare professional. A particular danger zone in legal matters relates to the Statute of Limitation which varies dependent on the defendent and the state and qualified legal advice should always be sought at the earliest possible opportunity on this matter.

There are observed risk factors that correlate with an increase in the diagnosis of this condition. A risk factor is a variable which may increase the chance of developing a condition but its presence does not mean that the condition will necessarily occur and the absence of a risk factor does not mean that the condition will not occur. Health care professionals should be fully up to date with their knowledge and possess sufficient information on cerebral palsy to be aware of the presence of any risk factor and ensure that they are able to deal with any potential problems that may have been indicated as likely to occur.

Basic information on cerebral palsy risk factors is outlined below and increased incidence of this condition is associated with :-

  • breech presentation
  • complications during labor or delivery
  • vascular or respiratory problems during labor or delivery may indicate brain damage or abnormal development
  • first child
  • fifth child or subsequent child
  • low Apgar score which reflects a newborn's condition and is determined from heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflexes, and skin colour immediately after birth
  • twins especially if one dies before, during or shortly after delivery
  • nervous system malformations or abnormalities which indicate developmental problems of the nervous system prior to birth
  • birth weight of less than 3.5 pounds
  • premature birth less than 37 weeks
  • multiple births
  • blood type incompatibility between mother and child
  • micro-organism infection of the child’s nervous system

There are also maternal indicators which may include:-

  • proteinuria during the latter stages of pregnancy
  • bleeding during the latter stages of pregnancy
  • maternal hyperthyroidism
  • mothers who have seizures
  • maternal German measles
  • certain other virus infections

There is further information on cerebral palsy relating specifically to the parents and increased risk has been observed in the following cases:

  • mother over 40 years old or less than 20 years old
  • father 20 years old or younger
  • Afro-Caucasian ethnicity

Healthcare professionals should be aware of the circumstances of increased risk and in the presence of these should take adequate care to ensure that they are prepared to deal with any problems that arise. Failure to act on obvious risk becoming apparent may be medical malpractice if the absence of sensible precautions causes injury to an unborn child.

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.