A mother in Southeast Texas is blaming the actions of the physician who delivered her daughter for the cerebral palsy of her two-year-old girl. According to the lawsuit filed on Thursday, September 12 at the Jefferson County District Court in Texas, plaintiff Kalyn Mary Pedigo said her daughter, Mary Kathryn, began manifesting signs of involuntary movements after she was born on July 5, 2011.

The plaintiff claimed that physicians from the Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas-Beaumont could have stopped the condition from happening if only they had properly monitored her during her delivery.

Pedigo is seeking an unspecified amount for damages, plus costs, pre- and post-judgment interest at the legal rate, and other relief the court finds applicable.

Cerebral palsy, a condition that causes involuntary movement and usually a host of disorders affecting the brain and the nervous system, can be a burden to both those who have the disorder and their family. If you or a person you love has developed it due to the negligence of other parties, such as physicians or medical institutions, talk with our experienced attorneys at The Driscoll Firm about pursing a lawsuit. Call us today at (800) 900-7704.

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health and various Australian universities, headed by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke scientist emeritus Karin Nelson, have researched certain risk factors that presumably cause cerebral palsy and early mortality in babies.

The scientists’ studies found out that many cases of cerebral palsy have originated from asphyxial birth events (situations during labor and delivery that can possibly interfere with the oxygen’s travel to the newly-born infant’s brain), inflammation (infection signs), birth defects, and unhealthy fetal growth (includes low birth weight or unnaturally small infant size).

Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects body movement and muscle coordination, usually involving dyskinesia or uncontrollable writhing movements, and spastic quadriplegia, which is characterized by severe limb stiffness.

Our lawyers at The Driscoll Firm work to help families whose babies have developed cerebral palsy due to a medical professional’s negligence get the financial compensation they need alleviate the burdens caused by this disorder. Call (800) 900-7704 today to find out how we can help you.

A new study published by Dr. Gregory Moore and his contemporaries at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and University of Ottawa showed that babies who were born “extremely” prematurely were more prone to developmental problems between the ages of four to eight, such as significantly lower IQ, cerebral palsy, and impaired vision and hearing.

According to the research, babies that were born at 22 to 25 weeks of the gestation period were more likely to suffer from those symptoms. The doctors studied 738 children from Europe, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Moore said that when asked by parents about what they can expect when having a premature baby, the answers weren’t always positive.

Get in touch with our legal team at The Driscoll Firm by calling (800) 900-7704 if a certain doctor or medical institution is at fault for your child’s cerebral palsy. We can help you explore your legal options and potentially pursue compensation for your losses, physically and financially.

In addition to experts at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute developing a high-intensity form of therapy for children with cerebral palsy to help them move their impaired arms and legs, the Institute has created a new clinic to research more treatments for children with this disorder.

Children suffering from hemiparesis, which is essentially debilitation on one side of the body caused by injury on the opposite side of the brain, may be able to utilize this new form of therapy, in which their functioning arm and hand will be placed in a cast to encourage movement of the weaker limb.

Virginia Tech professor Sharon Ramey, who will co-head the clinic with fellow professor Stephanie DeLuca, said it is important for both sides of the body to work well, and the exercise will help to make that happen.

If you or a loved one has developed cerebral palsy as a result of medical malpractice, don’t hesitate to speak with the attorneys at The Driscoll Firm. Call us at (800) 900-7704 to find out how we may be able to help you fight for compensation and justice.

Fortunately for those with dysarthria, which is a condition that causes a person to have difficulty talking, this condition may be treated, although the treatments and their efficacy will depend on the severity of the dysarthria.

Usually, a speech-language pathologist will work with a person to determine the severity of the dysarthria. After the patient is considered neurologically stable, treatment of dysarthria should focus on respiration, phonics, resonance, articulation, and prosody. What a person focuses on specifically and how they do therapy will depend on what is necessary to help them communicate effectively.

In severe cases, patients may required to use speech devices, gestures, writing, or other alternative treatments to adequately communicate.

Dysarthria is often a complication that accompanies cerebral palsy. Unfortunately, many children suffer from a form of cerebral palsy due to a medical professional’s errors. If your child has developed cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice, talk with a lawyer from The Driscoll Firm about taking legal action by calling (800) 900-7704.

Epidural anesthesia is a well-known local anesthesia that is commonly used to relieve the pain of childbirth. It is commonly used during a vaginal birth, but can be used during a caesarean as well.

As it is classified as a local anesthesia, epidural anesthesia is usually administered by an anesthesiologist, obstetrician, or a nurse-anesthetist. This is done by inserting a sterile needle and an epidural catheter into the lower back spinal cord while the back is in an arch position.

Before delivery, it is common to lessen the dosage of the epidural anesthesia so that mothers are able to feel when they are pushing. In caesarian delivery, the epidural catheter will have to stay in place until after delivery.

Unfortunately, if a doctor makes an error while administering epidural anesthesia, it can cause brain damage that leads to a baby developing cerebral palsy. If your baby has been the victim of such an anesthesia error, talk with an attorney at The Driscoll Firm by calling (800) 900-7704 and find out how we may be able to help you.     

Although children with cerebral palsy, the group of neurological disorders that permanently affect a person’s motor skills, should receive much of the same care that other children without the disorder get, they will also likely need certain special care from their parents or caretakers.

When caring for a child with cerebral palsy, parents should take extra time to discover how their child communicates. While some children communicate mainly in a verbal manner, others use eye contact, facial gestures, and hand signs to do most of their communicating.

Additionally, a parent will likely have to consider certain physical impairments and modifications when raising a child with cerebral palsy. If your child has mobility difficulties, modifying a home or bedroom to accommodate these needs can make everyone’s life easier. Additionally, setting up regular doctor and physical therapy appointments can help you stay on top of your child’s needs and adjust as needed.

Caring for a child who has cerebral palsy can be expensive and difficult; however, if your child has developed this disorder due to a doctor’s negligence, you may be able to alleviate some of these burdens, especially the financial ones, by pursuing legal action. Call our lawyers at The Driscoll Firm at (800) 900-7704 if a doctor has caused your child’s cerebral palsy.

Doctors in Germany recently have claimed to have successfully treated a child with cerebral palsy using a new treatment of stem cells.

Known as “LB,” the little boy’s condition improved weeks after he was given umbilical cord blood through an intravenous stem cell treatment. The boy, who was in a vegetative state after a heart attack, can now talk and move within months after the treatment. According to the doctors who provided the treatment, the results of the stem cell treatment to the boy disprove doubts about the efficacy of stem cell treatment.

Developing cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice is devastating, and is, unfortunately, something that happens to far too many children. Treating and living with this condition can be expensive; however, when it is the fault of another party, such as a medical professional, our lawyers at The Driscoll Firm may be able to help obtain financial compensation to off-set many of these costs. Call (800) 900-7704 to discuss your options if you believe your child was the victim of medical malpractice.

Detecting cerebral palsy at an early age can be difficult; however, there are certain signs that may point to a child having this condition. In fact, one developmental delay at a early stage of life of a baby can be considered a sign of cerebral palsy.

Infants suspected of having cerebral palsy are usually slow in their motor skills development, like learning to roll over, sit, smile or walk. Most of the time, parents are the ones who first notice if their baby’s motor skills are not developing normally, as they spend the most time with the child. Doctors, on the other hand, conduct medical evaluations and look for signs, like abnormal muscle tone, abnormal posture, persistent early reflexes, and early development of hand preference.

Cerebral palsy symptoms may vary depending on the severity of brain injury and malformation.

While cerebral palsy can develop as a result of other factors, the negligent acts of medical professionals all too often cause this condition. As such, if you believe your child has developed cerebral palsy in this manner, call (800) 900-7704 to speak with the lawyers at The Driscoll Firm.

A hospital recently admitted liability in the case of a boy with cerebral palsy caused by complications of his birth.

Daniel Spencer sustained brain damage when he was deprived of oxygen while his mother was suffering placental abruption during the delivery at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in 2001. The dispute was focused on the fact that Daniel was delivered 33 minutes after the complications were understood, whereas the average time is only 15 minutes and an expert said six minutes would have been enough time for him.

Rather than going to trial, the family agreed to the hospital paying 75 percent of the full liability, which is still to be determined.

Regrettably, many families, such as the Spencers, undergo the pain and suffering that accompany cerebral palsy at the hands of negligent medical professionals all too often. Our attorneys at The Driscoll Firm know that facing such a situation can be difficult and overwhelming, but are here to help you should your child be suffering this disorder due to another’s reckless actions. Call (800) 900-7704 to discuss your legal options today.