What Are Chorea?
Many people do not realize that cerebral palsy can come in several different forms, with athetoid cerebral palsy making up about 10% of all cerebral palsy cases. Athetoid cerebral palsy is characterized by damage to the area of the brain that controls coordination, often causing victims to suffer unusual and uncontrollable muscle movements that can seriously disrupt their ability to balance or walk. These movements are known as chorea. Although chorea may be managed or reduced through treatments such as physical therapy or medication, they can still drastically lessen a child’s chances of total independent mobility.
Characterizing Chorea
Children with athetoid cerebral palsy may exhibit other symptoms commonly associated with general cerebral palsy, but chorea is often one of the factors that indicates damage to the area of the brain that dictates muscle movement and coordination. Chorea may be characterized by the following:
- Short, arrhythmic movements
- Twisting motions
- Thrashing movements
Sadly, while some treatments can lessen the impact of chorea, there is no absolute cure for these movements, meaning that a child with athetoid cerebral palsy will require lifelong medical attention.
Contact Us
Frustratingly, cerebral palsy is often a preventable condition that solely results from the irresponsible behavior of doctors during labor and delivery. If your child was injured at birth by a doctor’s negligent mistakes, the careless physician at fault may be obligated to cover your family’s medical bills and other expenses resulting from the disorder. To learn more about your options as a parent, contact an attorney from the Driscoll Firm today at (800) 900-7704.