Many people don’t realize that cerebral palsy is often the result of medical malpractice.

The usual definition of cerebral palsy is that it is a cluster of conditions that are often chronic and impair the brain’s ability to be able to control body movements and coordinate the muscles. When one or more areas of the brain are damaged while the fetus is developing; is affected during childbirth; or appears within the first formative years of the child, that child has the potential to develop cerebral palsy. While it is a condition that does not progress and is not contagious, there is no cure for it. Interestingly, while the causes are shrouded in mystery, cerebral palsy is oftentimes something that may be prevented.

Right now in the U.S., there are roughly 500,000 people living with this disease and sadly, every year, there are about 4,500 infants who develop it. Typically, babies develop cerebral palsy in the process of being born, and statistics have also shown that roughly 30% get this as they are growing in the womb. A further 10% to 20% get the condition after birth.

When speaking about birth trauma, cerebral palsy is often linked with not dating the pregnancy properly; which in turn has the potential to lead to either being in the womb too long or premature delivery. Therefore in terms of the delivery, if the flow of blood and air to the baby’s brain is interrupted, it can cause cerebral palsy. Other factors that may play a role in the development of this condition due to a glitch in delivery are long labor, a twisted umbilical cord, hemorrhage, or the baby’s head is quite large.

Other things that have been implicated in the development of cerebral palsy are a botched forceps delivery or a mismanaged vacuum delivery. These risk factors are eminently avoidable provided the doctors act with care and due diligence.

A failure to diagnose may also play a part in a child developing cerebral palsy. For instance, certain infections the mother contracts may affect the fetus, Rh incompatibility, fetal stroke, and fetal anoxia, etc. have been found to cause this condition as well. It is up to the physicians to keep track of the mother and any risk factors she and the baby may face during the pregnancy to avoid the possibility of cerebral palsy.

There are several types of cerebral palsy that mothers should be aware of: spastic cerebral palsy that produces stiff and difficult movement; ataxic cerebral palsy where the child has no balance or depth perception, and athetoid cerebral palsy which is responsible for involuntary movements that are not controlled.

If you believe your child has developed cerebral palsy, speak with a skilled medical malpractice attorney to evaluate your child's case. He will be able to determine if medical negligence contributed to your child's condition.