Your legal experts on uncovering potential medical malpractice
Cerebral palsy is the term used to describe a spectrum of chronic movement disorders that affect motor skills and muscle tone and movement.
Cerebral means the root of the problem is the brain and palsy means having trouble with movements and/or motor control.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common problems babies experience before and during birth.
They are three different types:
1. Spastic – characterised by stiffness and problem with movement
2. Athetoid – characterised by uncontrolled and involuntary movement
3. Ataxic – characterised by problems with depth perception and balance
What’s more, the condition affects each person differently.
Symptoms vary depending on the area of the brain damaged. In some cases, even the simplest movements, such as standing, can be difficult. Some children with the disorder also have learning disabilities and problems with eating, breathing and controlling the bladder and bowels.
Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the brain before birth or during the first five years of life. Brain damage can also cause additional complications; such as hearing and vision problems, learning disabilities and speech impairments.
Babies who have a higher risk include those who are born prematurely.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by brain damage that occurs during or shortly after birth. For example, if a doctor fails to recognise foetal distress or fails to perform an emergency C-section when necessary, the baby can suffer from lack of oxygen to the brain which can result in the condition.
While cerebral palsy can be the result of natural causes, the tragic reality is that a majority of cases could have been prevented had proper care or caution been taken by another party.
One of the largest groups of people at fault for causing cerebral palsy is medical practitioners.
Unfortunately, all too often cerebral palsy in children is as the result of a medical professional who failed to give proper care to a mother or child before, during or after the child’s birth.
A medical professional; whether doctor, nurse or other practitioners; who causes a child to suffer from the effects of cerebral palsy should be held responsible for their actions or decisions.
Our firm, Thobela Attorneys, works diligently for clients who have been wronged by a medical professional.
Remember, that for a claim to be present, the medical practitioner does not have to have intention to harm, only the presence of negligence is required.
There are many ways in which a medical practitioner can cause damage to a child’s brain, resulting in cerebral palsy, through acts of negligence such as:
• Surgical errors
• Anaesthesia error
• Misdiagnosis
• Delayed diagnosis
At Thobela Attorneys we know very well that for one to maximise the quantum in such matters, the issue of life expectancy plays a major role, and for that reason we work with reliable expects who in turn advise on relevant therapies.
The ability to mobilise and ability to feed are important indicators of life expectancy.
Contact us 0n 072 217 3230.
