Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition that can happen when the brain is damaged before, during, or soon after birth.
When there is medical negligence, the condition could be caused by things like delayed cesarean section, not using the right delivery tools, or failure to monitor fetal distress. CP symptoms often show up early in development, and noticing them quickly is important for getting the right medical care.
Understanding these symptoms can help parents determine if their child’s condition was caused by medical negligence.
Because Chicago has a large population, it sees a lot of birth-related injuries every year. Parents in Chicago have a hard time determining whether medical negligence caused their child’s condition, especially given the complexities of childbirth.
If you think medical malpractice is the reason for your child’s injuries, talking to a Chicago cerebral palsy lawyer can help you figure out what your legal options are.
Below, we outline some of the symptoms of cerebral palsy.
Early Movement and Coordination Symptoms
Early on, children with CP often show physical signs, especially with their muscle movement and tone. Some of these include:
- Muscles that are stiff or floppy, which means the muscle tone is abnormal.
- The condition of having stiff muscles or exaggerated reflexes, which is called spasticity.
- Trouble with balance and coordination, such as struggling to sit, stand, or walk steadily.
- Favoring one side of the body, like using only one hand or dragging one leg while crawling.
- Delayed motor milestones, such as having difficulty lifting the head, rolling over, or crawling.
Speech and Feeding Difficulties
Speech and eating problems are another group of CP symptoms. These include:
- Having trouble eating, swallowing, or chewing.
- Excessive drooling, which is often caused by face and throat muscles not working properly.
- Delayed speech development, with clear difficulty forming words or sounds.
- Difficulty speaking clearly because CP can affect speech muscles.
Developmental Delays
When a child has CP, they experience delays in developmental milestones. Some of these symptoms are:
- Late development of motor skills, such as sitting up, crawling, or walking.
- Smaller growth than usual, as some kids with CP may grow and develop more slowly overall.
- Learning or intellectual disabilities are based on how bad the brain damage is and the area affected.
Neurological and Sensory Symptoms
Having cerebral palsy can also cause other cognitive and sensory problems, such as
- Seizures, which could be a sign of epilepsy going on at the same time.
- Vision problems, such as having difficulty focusing or moving the eyes in strange ways.
- Hearing problems can make it hard to communicate and affect social development.
- Sensory issues, including difficulty processing touch, pain, or temperature.
When to Seek Help
If your child shows any of these symptoms, you should take them to a pediatrician right away for an evaluation.
If you get a diagnosis early, you can get help, such as physical therapy or assistive devices.
Parents should also think about whether medical negligence during birth may have contributed to their child’s condition.
Understanding the symptoms of cerebral palsy and their potential causes gives families the power to find answers and explore their legal options.