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Cerebral palsy after a birth injury

On Behalf of | May 13, 2018 | Birth Injuries, Firm News |

When Pennsylvania mothers give birth to their children, they usually do not think there will be complications. Sometimes, though, an infant may sustain an injury while he or she is being born. In some situations, a birth injury may cause a child to develop cerebral palsy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that infants might have cerebral palsy if their brains were damaged or did not develop correctly. A baby’s brain might be damaged if there were complications during the birth that deprived the baby of oxygen. If there is a uterine rupture or if the placenta becomes detached, an infant may not get enough air. Additionally, the umbilical cord may obstruct a baby’s oxygen supply. Sometimes an infant may have cerebral palsy because he or she had another condition, such as jaundice, which was not treated immediately.

Infants who have cerebral palsy because of a birth injury may experience many kinds of complications. According to Cerebral Palsy Guidance, some babies may develop problems with their hearing or vision, while others may have learning disabilities. Others may have speech problems or cognitive impairments. Although babies can receive treatments for this condition as they age, these complications typically affect children for their entire lives.

Most infants with cerebral palsy have a type called spastic cerebral palsy. Babies with this condition typically have stiff muscles and muscle spasms and also experience abnormal movements that they cannot always control. Others may have ataxic cerebral palsy and may experience tremors or have difficulties with their balance or coordination. Infants with dyskinetic cerebral palsy usually have abnormal posture, as well as erratic or repetitive motions.