• Cerebral Palsy
• Erb’s Palsy
• Klumpke’s Palsy
• Brachial Plexus
• Brain Damage
• Fractured Extremeties
• Infant Paralysis
• Facial Paralysis
• Caput Succedaneum
• Cephalohematoma
• Bruising/Forecep Marks
• Sub-conjunctival Hemorrhage

Cerebral palsy can be a particularly devastating birth injury. It actually involves a group of chronic disorders that generally affect motor skills, muscle tone, and muscle movement. The symptoms of cerebral palsy vary from mild to severe. Victims may be affected on only one half of the body, such as in the lower extremities more than the upper portion of the body. In the most severe cases, the entire body is affected, making full-time treatment a necessity.

The human brain needs a constant supply of oxygen that is supplied by red blood cells. When the blood flow, and oxygen supply are cut off from the brain for any length of time, brain cells start to weaken and die. The severity of brain damage suffered depends on how long the tissue is forced to go without oxygen. In most of the cases we encounter, cerebral palsy is caused by this type of brain damage. A qualified birth injury lawyer can help determine whether the injury was caused by neglect or malpractice on the part of the doctors or other medical staff.

Cerebral palsy describes the physical effects of a brain injury sustained during birth. Depending on the severity of the injury, a child may experience a loss of muscle control that ranges from twitching to the inability to walk or care for them. Although they result in similar physical symptoms, Erb’s palsy, Klumpke’s palsy, and brachial plexus palsy are not caused by brain injury and will be discussed on separate pages.

Once a child suffers from cerebral palsy, the condition lasts a lifetime. As a child grows, they may be able to make up for a lack of muscle tone by taking advantage of specialized therapies and medications. Also, it is important to remember that cerebral palsy will not get worse with time. Muscle tone describes the “tenseness” that the muscle is able to achieve when it is flexed. A medium amount of muscle tone is useful because it produces smooth, even movements. The brain of a person with cerebral palsy, however, will not properly regulate muscle tone. In the case of spastic cerebral palsy, muscle tone is too tight, resulting in quick, jerking movements. People with spastic cerebral palsy move stiffly and can have problems releasing objects gripped in their hands. Almost 50 percent of all people with cerebral palsy have the spastic type, making it the most common type of cerebral palsy.

Studies show that about 20% of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy sustained a preventable brain injury that led to the disorder. If this is the case with your child's injury, you may have a claim for damages. If your child suffers from cerebral palsy because of the mistake or negligence of a medical professional, click here to contact a Melbourne birth injury lawyer today.