Knowing the complications of Erb’s palsy

Erb’s Palsy is a birth disorder that happens when there is an injury to a network of spinal nerves located between the neck and the arm called the brachial plexus. It can affect all or a portion of the arms, shoulder, and hands, and is characterized by muscle weakness of the upper limbs, sometimes even partial or complete paralysis.

With proper treatment, a majority of Erb’s palsy cases are resolved within three to six months after birth. In fact, 70% to 80% of Erb’s palsy cases resolve in the baby’s first year of life. However, severe Erb’s palsy may cause long-term, sometimes even life-long complications. Complications include:

  • Complete or partial paralysis
  • Muscle atrophy, or the shrinking of muscle tissue due to absent or compromised nerve stimulation. Individuals with severe Erb’s palsy may have an affected arm that is thinner and shorter than the other one
  • Impaired bone growth due to a decreased or absent motion
  • Joint disorders

At the Driscoll Firm, we help families whose children have suffered from Erb’s Palsy due to medical negligence recover damages from the party responsible. Call us at (800) 900-7704 and have your case assessed for free.


Umbilical cord blood might be the key to preventing CP

Researchers at the Monash Institute of Medical Research in Australia are currently researching a possible treatment that would prevent the development of cerebral palsy among high-risk newborns, the Daily Mail reported on June 5.

The researchers were successful in isolating certain stem cells found in the blood of a newborn’s own umbilical cord that are crucial in lowering the risk of cerebral palsy. These stem cells are Mesenchymal stem cells, which repair the brain, Endothelial Progenitor cells, which improve the flow of blood to the damaged areas of the brain, and T-regulatory cells, which fight inflammation.

Scientist Courtney McDonald said current pre-clinical trials suggest that giving the umbilical cord blood back to the newborn within the first 12 hours of life shows positive results in preventing birth asphyxia–a condition which may lead to cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a life-long condition that can unfortunately be the result of poor medical care. At the Driscoll Firm, we help families who have suffered from medical negligence achieve justice and compensation from the party responsible. Call us at (800) 900-7704 today.


The Wolf of Wall Street stokes controversy with disability advocates

Disability group advocates have expressed discontent with the liberal use of the terms “cerebral palsy” and “retard” in Martin Scorsese’s film The Wolf of Wall Street.

In a joint statement, disability group The Arc chief executive, Peter Berns and United Cerebral Palsy president and CEO, Stephen Bennett noted the film’s ability to “[offend] audiences on many levels,”, especially on “its use of the R-word and its unacceptable mockery of people with cerebral palsy.”

Berns and Bennett are specifically referring to a scene where actor Leonardo di Caprio describes a drug-induced experience as feeling like a “cerebral palsy phase”. Di Caprio countered their statement by saying that the whole point of the movie was to serve as a “cautionary tale”, mentioning “we’re not condoning this behavior, we’re indicting it”.

If you or someone you know has been exposed to events that led to the development of cerebral palsy, The Driscoll Firm could help you gain financial compensation from the responsible parties. Call us at (800) 900-7704 to learn more about how we can help you.

 


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