Cerebral Palsy: Birth Injury or Natural Causes?

 Posted on February 06, 2024 in Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy can have several different causes, ranging from natural congenital defects to birth injury caused by a doctor’s negligence. If your child was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy after birth, determining the cause is important. Finding out whether your child deserves compensation right away can help you file a lawsuit on time or start making a plan for your child’s care. If your child’s condition was caused by a birth injury, there is a chance that a doctor should have been able to prevent it. Telling the difference between congenital and birth injury-induced Cerebral Palsy can be difficult. If you suspect that a doctor’s carelessness may have complicated your birth and potentially led to your child’s diagnosis, you should speak with a qualified Chicago, IL, birth injuries attorney as soon as possible. We may suggest visiting a specialist and filing a lawsuit depending on the results of your visit. 

How Birth Injuries Can Cause Cerebral Palsy

When Cerebral Palsy is the result of a birth injury, the usual cause is a lack of oxygen to the fetus. Not receiving enough oxygen during labor and in the time leading up to birth can harm an unborn child and lead to lifelong complications. Common types of issues at birth that can lead to Cerebral Palsy include:

• Detachment of the placenta - The placenta is a fetus’s lifeline, providing them with nutrients and oxygen. When the placenta prematurely detaches from the lining of the uterus, that supply can be interrupted. This means that a child’s supply of oxygen can be cut off. Careful monitoring should alert hospital staff if this becomes an issue. 
• Uterine rupture - Birthing parents at risk for uterine rupture should be monitored closely and, in some cases, induced prior to the 40-week mark. A uterine rupture can harm not only the baby but the mother as well. Doctors may inadvertently cause a uterine rupture when they seek to manually intervene in a way that involves penetrating the uterus.
• Umbilical cord problems - Having the umbilical cord wrapped around the fetus’s neck can be fatal or lead to a devastating loss of oxygen. Signs of fetal distress may become apparent during or before labor and should be treated as a medical emergency. 

If your child’s Cerebral Palsy was the result of a birth injury, they may be entitled to compensation. 

Contact a Chicago, IL, Birth Injuries Attorney

Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. is dedicated to helping children who have suffered a birth injury and their families. Our experienced Cook County, IL, birth injuries lawyers will do all we can to get your child the care they need. Contact us at 312-462-4200 for a complimentary consultation.