Cerebral palsy is a condition often caused by a lack of oxygen to a child’s brain during birth. For example, perhaps medical professionals made mistakes while assisting with the birth that resulted in oxygen flow being cut off or significantly reduced. If this isn’t addressed quickly, permanent brain damage could occur that will affect the rest of the child’s life.
What signs should parents look for? It depends on the specific injury and the extent or severity, but some common signs include:
- Tight muscles without enough elasticity
- An abnormal gait
- Tight and non-flexible joints
- Weakness or loss of movement in certain muscle groups
- Symptoms that have a larger impact on one side – such as a person who struggles with movement in their left arm but not their right arm
- Lack of coordination
- Speech and vision problems
- Learning disabilities
Every case can be different. Some people may simply have minor mobility issues, while others may have severe cognitive impairments that mean that they need care and assistance for life.
Missing important milestones
One important thing for parents to remember is that cerebral palsy won’t always be obvious right away. It can sometimes impact when a child reaches certain milestones or it may keep them from getting there. For instance, parents may not know that their newborn has cerebral palsy, but they will realize that something is wrong when the child isn’t crawling, walking, rolling over or even talking at the times that doctors expect.
This can sometimes lead to a delay in diagnosis, making these complex cases. Parents who are involved should carefully consider all of the legal steps they can take.