It is generally accepted that injury to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth can cause Cerebral Palsy. In many cases, no one knows for sure what caused the brain injury.

Whatever the cause, the severity of the brain damage generally depends on the type and timing of the injury. In very premature babies, bleeding into the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage) can cause extensive damage.  Also, the longer an unborn child goes without oxygen, the greater the brain damage.

Infants who have suffered severe asphyxia (lack of sufficient oxygen to the brain) during birth can be born with Cerebral Palsy. When Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed in childhood, it is often discovered that the child suffered lack of oxygen at birth. The birthing process must be monitored and handled with skill. Accidents and incompetence during the birth process can cause cerebral palsy. Modern prenatal care and improved obstetric care have significantly reduced the incidence of birth injury, but human error will probably never be completely eliminated.

Other risk factors can contribute to a baby being born with cerebral palsy:

The highest risk babies are those who are born prematurely and do not cry within the first five minutes of being born. Babies who have seizures, have to put into a ventilator or have internal brain damage are also at risk. In general, low birth weight babies are at an extremely high risk.

Some cases of Cerebral Palsy are caused by conditions of the mother during pregnancy. These include drug use or infections such as rubella (German measles). Other causes can be related to high-blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid problems. Pregnancy complications such as placental problems can also potentially cause Cerebral Palsy.

Birthing is extremely complicated and many childbirths have some form of complication, whether it being the umbilical cord wrapping around the baby's neck or the need for a C-section. Doctors must make sudden split-second decisions to react to problems during childbirth. Unfortunately, too often a doctor or nurse may make the wrong decision under pressure and that error could cause Cerebral Palsy.

Once a child is born, there are a whole series of errors that could lead to cerebral palsy. There are many factors that suggest the injury occurred as a result of improper medical care, or injury to the brain during the birthing process.

If your child has Cerebral Palsy and you think it was caused by medical error, contact us to discuss your legal options.

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