Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) occurs in nearly 1 in every 500 births, making it is the most prevalent cause of motor function impairment. A disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture, CP is a neurological condition caused by brain damage which is usually suffered before, during or soon after a baby is born. CP may also cause seizure disorder (epilepsy), swallowing, speech and eye movement problems, and can cause intellectual disabilities.  Premature birth significantly increases an infant’s risk of CP.  There are several different types of CP, with each type classified according to the type of body movement and posture problem present. Ataxic cerebral palsy is the rarest type of cerebral palsy and involves the entire body.

Ataxic CP causes problems with:

  • Balance
  • Precise Movements (may reach too far or too close to touch objects)
  • Coordination (may walk with feet unusually far apart)
  • Hand control (may have trouble buttoning clothing, writing or using scissors)

If there is birth trauma during labor and delivery, it is possible for the baby to suffer from a brain injury due to hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. Medical staff is expected to monitor the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contraction rate to ensure the safety of the baby and avoid birth injury. Medical negligence in this area could be the reason why you child suffers from cerebral palsy.

Motor functioning impairment greatly affects quality of life. Additionally, the cost of care for a child with brain damage is high. If your child’s brain injury was caused by a medical mistake at birth, or caused by an extremely premature birth which healthcare providers negligently failed to prevent (such as a failure to diagnose and treat preeclampsia), the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

 

Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy, or CP, is one of the most common birth injuries associated with medical negligence in the United States. This serious medical condition is the result of an injury to the baby’s brain, including brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery. Cerebral palsy can be categorized into different forms, based on the degree of brain damage and the area/areas of the body affected.  Forms of cerebral palsy include dyskinetic CP, spastic CP, and ataxic CP.

Dyskinetic CP results from damage to the basal ganglia of the brain (responsible for regulating voluntary movement) and is associated with a number of symptoms that cause muscle tone to fluctuate between being loose and tight. The different forms of dyskinesia include, dystonia, athetosis, and chorea, and result from damage to slightly different structures within the basal ganglia.

Characteristics of dystonia include painful muscle contractions, causing slow twisting or repetitive movement, and a disabling, rigid posture. Athetosis is characterized by slow, continuous, involuntary, writhing movements that may cause those affected to appear restless. People with chorea experience brief, abrupt involuntary movements and may appear fidgety.

It is the medical staff’s responsibility to consistently monitor the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contraction rate. When signs of fetal distress go unnoticed, the baby can suffer from oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery, which is an obstetrical emergency. Consequences of such negligence can result in permanent brain injury, such as dyskinetic CP, when the baby suffers brain damage from lack of oxygen (hypoxia or anoxia) during labor and delivery.

The cost of care for a child with brain damage, is very high. If your child’s brain injury was caused by a medical mistake at birth, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.ysys

Spastic Cerebral Palsy at Birth

Spastic cerebral palsy is a permanent loss of muscle control caused by an injury to the brain resulting from a variety of causes, one of which is a lack of oxygen to the baby during labor and delivery.

Spastic CP is characterized by involuntary movement of the arms and legs, uncontrolled muscle spasms and can also affect the muscles controlling speech and swallowing.  Spastic CP can affect all four limbs, neck and torso (tetraplegia), both arms and both legs (quadriplegia), or only one arm or leg (monoplegia) but most commonly affects the arm and leg on one side of the body, only (hemiplegia).  Less commonly, spastic quadriplegia can affect three limbs (triplegia).

Poor coordination and balance, a complete inability to relax tightened muscles, difficulty walking, talking and eating are all common complications of spastic CP.  For those who suffer from this neurological disorder, affected joints become very stiff and hard to move.  Over time, the affected arms or legs may become extremely painful and interfere with the ability to function independently or even to sit in a comfortable position

Birth injuries, such as spastic cerebral palsy, can be the direct result of medical negligence.  It is important for medical providers to consistently monitor the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contraction rate to identify if the baby is experiencing a lack of oxygen during the entire course of labor and delivery. If a complication, such as a very low (bradycardia) or very high (tachycardia) fetal heart rate is identified in a timely manner, medical providers can respond immediately to fetal distress.  A baby’s lack of oxygen during labor and delivery is an obstetrical emergency and can result in permanent brain injury such as spastic CP.

There are a number of treatments available for the management of spastic CP. However, the cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy, or any brain damage, is very high. If your child’s brain injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

The Yost Legal Group launches new TV commercial To Help Parents of Infants With Cerebral Palsy

The CDC estimates that about 10,000 babies born every year in the United States suffer from cerebral palsy. What’s even more heartbreaking is that many of these cases are the result of a medical mistake by a doctor, nurse or other medical professional.

The Yost Legal Group works closely with parents of infants and young children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy to help them to understand and pursue their legal rights if negligence was involved.
This commercial highlights how The Yost Legal Group investigates cases involving traumatic birth injuries and works to secure answers regarding every detail of your child’s birth injury or cerebral palsy diagnosis.

Cerebral palsy can be caused by obstetrical errors, such as:

• Failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
• Improper use of forceps
• Failure to perform a timely C-section
• Improper administration of medications
• Negligence in monitoring and treating newborns
• And more.

Bringing a child into this world should be one of the most gratifying, exciting times of your life but unfortunately this is not always the case. The Yost Legal Group has been helping parents handle serious traumatic birth injury claims for the past 30 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kftidOLfU9E

Protecting the Rights of Families and Children

The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy, or any birth injury, is very high. If your child’s injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free.

If we take your case, our legal team will investigate every detail surrounding your child’s birth injury and will help provide the answers you seek.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Umbilical Cord Prolapse is Linked to Hypoxic Brain Injury in Children

When a woman is pregnant, the umbilical cord is what connects the mother to the developing fetus, acting as a lifeline for the child. It allows the supply of nourishment and oxygen for necessary development. Unfortunately, one in every 300 births involves an umbilical cord prolapse (UCP). An umbilical cord prolapse occurs when part of the umbilical cord gets ahead of the baby, and comes through the cervix and into the birth canal before the baby does. This pinches the umbilical cord and causes a reduction or complete cut-off of the oxygen supply to the fetus. If untreated, umbilical cord prolapse can result in birth injuries due to lack of oxygen (hypoxia) including: cerebral palsy, developmental delays, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), or even death of the child.

Signs of Umbilical Cord Prolapse Include:

  • Abnormal fetal heart rate pattern
  • Fetal heart rate drop, often sudden and sustained, to a heart rate lower than 120 bpm
  • The doctor performing a pelvic exam and finding either:
    – The umbilical cord protruding through the cervix or in the vagina ahead of the baby
    – The umbilical cord in an incorrect position

Once it is discovered that the mother and child are experiencing UCP, it is important that the correct steps are taken to ensure their safety. UCP can be corrected by a doctor or physician if the proper steps are taken. Procedures may include changing the mothers positioning to relieve pressure on the umbilical cord, using a vacuum to extract the baby quickly if she is giving birth at the time, or a C-section delivery may be vital.

Complications due to umbilical cord prolapse are the cause of preventable hypoxic brain injury in children.  Cerebral palsy is one of the injuries which can occur due to untreated umbilical cord prolapse.  Cerebral palsy cannot be cured but treatment will very often improve a child’s capabilities and, in general, the earlier treatment begins the better chances are that children will overcome developmental disabilities.

Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others.  If you would like to discuss your child’s potential claim arising from HIE or CP, the Birth Injury Attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination.  For a free consultation, please call us at 1-800-YOSTLAW.

Understanding Cerebral Palsy and Birth Injury Claims

The childbirth process should be a joyous and memorable experience for all families; but, not when there is a birth injury or trauma.

At The Yost Legal Group, we represent families who have suffered a serious birth trauma or birth injury. We are committed to raising awareness about birth injuries in the U.S. One of the most common birth injuries we see is cerebral palsy.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a broad term referring to any number of neurological disorders that result in the impaired development of a child’s brain function, motor skills, muscle control and more. These impairments do not worsen over time, but the signs and symptoms of cerebral palsy do become more and more apparent as the child continues to age and grow into his body. Cerebral palsy can take many different forms and it can impact children differently. That said, almost all forms of cerebral palsy are the result of a birth injury or birth trauma.

Tragically, cerebral palsy is one of the most common disabilities affecting children in the United States. Here are some statistics that demonstrate the high occurrence of cerebral palsy in the U.S:

  • It is estimated that cerebral palsy impacts between 2 and 3 out of every 1,000 live births in the United States each year.
  • Approximately 10,000 babies born each year will develop cerebral palsy in their lifetime
  • Nearly 764,000 Americans currently live with some form of cerebral palsy
  • Between 1,200 and 1,500 preschool-aged children will be diagnosed with some form of cerebral palsy annually

How is it Caused?

Cerebral palsy is the result of brain damage suffered before, during, or immediately after the birthing process, when an infant’s brain is still developing. Symptoms and manifestations of cerebral palsy can vary greatly depending on the extent of a child’s injury, as well as when and how it was sustained.

There are four types of brain damage that can cause cerebral palsy:

  • Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL): Damage to brain tissue which impairs the brain’s ability to relay nerve impulses that control motor function. Symptoms most commonly associated with this type of damage are intellectual impairment, hearing and visual impairment, and stiffness in the muscles or limbs.
  • Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE): Oxygen deprivation to the brain resulting in the destruction of brain tissue. Symptoms that can result from this type of injury include epilepsy, cognitive and motor-skill impairment, and developmental delay. Signs and symptoms of this type of injury are usually not evident until a child reaches three or four years of age.
  • Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH): Severe bleeding inside the brain, sometimes resulting in a hematoma, a condition which can damage and kill the surrounding tissue. Depending on the location, duration and severity of the bleeding, the brain’s ability to control cognitive and motor function may be permanently damaged.
  • Cerebral Dysgenesis: This is not a brain injury per se, but rather in-utero brain malformation or abnormal brain development. This can occur at any time during fetal development and has a wide array of possible symptoms.

Protecting Your Rights as a Victim

At The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore Birth Injury and Personal Injury law firm, we are committed to protecting the rights of people whose babies were injured before, during or immediately after the birthing process.

If your child’s birth trauma or birth injury may have been prevented, we will investigate the facts, work to get to the truth and seek monetary damages for you and your family, to help pay for a lifetime of care for your child.

At The Yost Legal Group, our experienced Birth Injury and Cerebral Palsy lawyers will investigate every detail of your case to get to the bottom of how your baby sustained a birth injury.

At The Yost Legal Group, if we believe you have a case, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front. We will take your case on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we achieve a recovery for you.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to find out how we may be able to help.

Don’t fight this battle alone. Let The Yost Legal Group provide the answers you seek.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Important Facts About Cerebral Palsy: Signs & Symptoms

Every year thousands of expectant parents and new born babies suffer birth injuries that might have been prevented.

One of the most common birth injuries is cerebral palsy. At The Yost Legal Group, we want to help spread awareness about cerebral palsy by providing facts and resources to help families.

Does my Child have Cerebral Palsy?

It can be extremely difficult for parents and even for doctors to recognize the early signs of cerebral palsy in new born babies. Some children do not demonstrate the early signs of cerebral palsy until they are three or even four years old.

However, some early signs to watch for that may be evidence of cerebral palsy include:

  • In Babies Younger than 6 Months: Your baby feels either extremely stiff or extremely floppy when held. When picked up and cradled, your baby’s legs may become stiff and cross or scissor, and your baby’s head may lag.
  • In Babies Older than 6 Months: Your baby cannot roll over in either direction; cannot bring his or her hands together; or, your baby has difficulty bringing his or her hands to his mouth, and cannot reach out with both hands simultaneously.
  • In Babies Older than 10 Months: Your baby cannot crawl on all fours; or, your baby either crawls by reaching out with one hand and leg while dragging the other, or moves by either hopping on his knees or scooting on his buttocks.

Cerebral palsy can take many forms, meaning that a child may have cerebral palsy even if he or she does not demonstrate all of the above behaviors. One of the most reliable ways for you as parents to spot the early signs of cerebral palsy is to closely monitor your child’s development.

If you notice that your  baby is not reaching certain developmental milestones within your pediatrician’s timeframe, such developmental delay could be an early indication of cerebral palsy.

What is Developmental Delay?

All children will grow and mature at their own pace, but there are certain markers of movement and motor function that indicate that a child is developing at a normal rate. Developmental Delay occurs when a child fails to reach specific motor skill milestones in a timely manner. Below are some important milestones for motor-skill development, along with when they usually occur:

  • Around 6 weeks: Child can begin to smile
  • Around 3 to 4 months: Child can reach for toys and roll on to their back
  • Around 6 to 7 months: Child can sit up on their own
  • Around 10 to 14 months: Child begins to walk

It is important to note that if your child has not reached one or more of these milestones in the suggested time frame, it does not necessarily mean they have cerebral palsy; however, these milestones often offer a strong early indicator of the disability.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

If you notice any of the above signs or early indications of Developmental Delay, it is important to see a doctor right away. When examining a child and attempting to detect cerebral palsy, doctors will focus on eight clinical signs related to:

  • Muscle tone
  • Movement Coordination and Control
  • Reflex
  • Posture
  • Balance
  • Gross Motor Function
  • Fine Motor Function
  • Oral Motor Function

Each one of these eight clinical signs has certain criteria and symptoms that doctors will closely monitor during an examination. Doctors will examine a child to see if there is evidence of developmental impairment in any or all of these categories.

Protecting The Rights of Families and Children

Cerebral palsy is a permanent injury that often requires a lifetime of medical care and therapy. The cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy or any birth injury can be astronomical. If your child’s injury was caused by a medical mistake, the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

The Yost Legal Group’s Baltimore Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury law firm, will work hard to secure the justice and financial compensation you and your family deserve.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) to receive a FREE, confidential and no-obligation consultation about your birth injury case. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free. If we take your case, our legal team will investigate every detail surrounding your child’s birth injury and will help provide the answers you seek.

At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee unless we achieve a recovery for you. We don’t get paid until you do.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury Claim

Cerebral palsy is one of the most traumatic birth injuries a newborn can experience. While there are several causes of this severe diagnosis, sometimes cerebral palsy can be a result of medical mistake by a healthcare provider who was responsible for assisting in your child’s birth.

The birth injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group have the experience and resources to assist families in need of representation as a result of the negligent acts of others who contribute to a child’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is the medical term used to describe chronic disorders that impair control of movement due to damage to a baby’s developing brain. Roughly 20% of babies diagnosed with congenital cerebral palsy are a result of brain injury during the birthing process. The most common reason is due to the lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain during labor and birth.

About 10,000 infants are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year and The United Cerebral Palsy Association estimates that more than 764,000 Americans are living with cerebral palsy.

When medical malpractice is linked to a child’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy, the most common reasons are:

–          Failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
–          Failure to order a timely C-section
–          Failure to act on dangerous fetal heart rate fluctuations
–          Failure of timely treatment for meningitis or jaundice
–          Failure to treat a prolapsed cord
–          Remaining in the birth canal for too long
–          Excessive use of vacuum extraction
–          Improper use of forceps
–          Improperly administered medications
–          Negligence in monitoring and/or treating the newborn

Birth injury lawsuits begin with a medical professional’s opinion that supports your case and the facts showing the negligent healthcare provider failed to treat the infant within established standards of care.

If you have questions about your child’s birth injury or cerebral palsy diagnosis, call The Yost Legal Group for help at 1-800-Yost-Law.

An experienced birth injury attorney will investigate the circumstances of the injury, identify the facts surrounding your child’s birth injury or birth trauma and gather information necessary to support understand what happened.

The Yost Legal Group is experienced in helping individuals and their families who are victims of birth injury and medical malpractice. The Yost Legal Group has the experience to investigate your case, determine what negligence was involved and fight to protect your right to full and fair compensation.

If you or a family member has been the victim of the negligent acts of others, experienced a birth injury such as cerebral palsy, or are the victims of medical malpractice, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer. Do not try to handle your claim on your own.

Contact The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-Yost-Law (1-800-967-8529) to speak with an experienced Baltimore birth injury attorney for free. One of our experienced lawyers will work hard to protect your rights and handle of the details surrounding your case. If someone was at fault, we will fight to get you the compensation and the justice you deserve.

To find out more about your rights, please contact the experienced and knowledgeable birth injury attorneys at The Yost Legal Group.

Call 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) to speak with one of our experienced birth injury attorneys today.

The Yost Legal Group will help you find answers. If you have questions, call to speak with an experienced Baltimore personal injury lawyer for help.

The Yost Legal Group, Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Protecting your Rights.