At any point during labor and delivery, even the slightest of missteps on part of a medical professional may potentially cause a child to develop Erb’s Palsy. As the result of damage to the child’s brachial plexus—a bundle of nerves in the upper arm and shoulder—individuals living with Erb’s Palsy often require substantial medical treatment in order to restore flexibility and strength back to the affected arm.
Some of the early warning signs that parents of children with Erb’s Palsy first observe include the following issues with one of the child’s arm at birth:
- A lack of movement
- A lack or response to touch
- Rigidity of the arm held against the body
- Inability to grip with one hand
Should Erb’s Palsy not be promptly diagnosed and treated, a child may suffer from the following long-term symptoms that are associated with Erb’s Palsy:
- Numbness of the affected arm
- Weakness of the affected arm
- Paralysis of the affected arm
- Muscle atrophy in the affected arm
While symptoms may be successfully mitigated by dedicated physical therapy and surgical procedure, many children continue to struggle with the effects of Erb’s Palsy for the entirety of their lives.
If your child is found to suffer from Erb’s Palsy, you should consult with one of the birth injury attorneys at the Driscoll Firm to learn more about your legal options moving forward. If a negligent medical practitioner is found to be responsible, you may pursue financial compensation that covers medical expenses and the cost of continued treatment. To discuss the particular circumstances that you believe contributed to your child’s Erb’s Palsy, please call our offices at (800) 900-7704 today.
One primary complication of cerebral palsy (CP) is muscle tightness and spasticity in one or both legs. Although several of such cases can be relieved through physical and occupational therapy, some cases of leg tightness and spasticity might be severe, resulting in a compromised range of movements.
For CP children with severe spasticity in the legs, some doctors perform selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) to relieve muscle tightness and improve range. It consists of cutting the thin skin over the lower part of the spinal cord. The nerve connecting to the spinal cord that causes muscle tightness of the legs will then be cut to relieve the symptom.
Sadly, cerebral palsy is often the effect of negligent medical care during the birthing process. If you believe your child’s condition developed as the result of a careless or reckless medical professional, the attorneys of the Driscoll Firm might be able to help. Call our offices at (800) 900-7704 today to learn more about pursuing financial compensation from the people or parties responsible.
Though many children who develop cerebral palsy have been injured by some form of medical malpractice, a number of children sustain injuries that lead to cerebral palsy far removed from the medical environment. With that in mind, virtually any serious head trauma may potentially lead to cerebral palsy during the first few years of a child’s life. If your child has developed cerebral palsy, the birth injury lawyers at the Driscoll Firm can help you determine how this happened, and may help you pursue financial compensation for treatment expenses and any other financial losses.
To discuss the particulars circumstances that led to your child’s development of cerebral palsy with one of our birth injury lawyers, please call our offices at (800) 900-7704 to learn more about how we can help you.
A study by the University of Copenhagen found that inducing labor among women at 37 weeks could possibly reduce the risk of birth asphyxia, stillbirth, and cerebral palsy, according to a report by The Independent on Wednesday, March 4.
Labor induction refers to the use of medications or other techniques to stimulate uterine contraction, and is usually performed only after 42 weeks, when the baby is overdue. However, a recent study, which evaluated 770,936 births over the period of 13 years, revealed that proactively inducing labor at 37 weeks reduced the rate of stillborn births from 1.9% to 1% per 1,000 births. Additionally, peripheral nerve injuries, such as Erb’s palsy, were reduced by 43%, while the rate of cerebral palsy-causing birth asphyxia was down by 23%.
Over the years, countless cases of cerebral palsy have been caused by negligent medical care. If you believe your baby’s cerebral palsy has been a result of a negligent medical practitioner, we at Driscoll Firm can help you seek the compensation you believe you deserve. Call us at (800) 900-7704 for legal advice today.
