Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Cerebral Palsy Symptoms
Doctors use the term cerebral palsy to refer to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination, but don't get worse over time.
Even though cerebral palsy affects muscle movement, it isn't caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. It is caused by abnormalities inside the brain that disrupt the brain's ability to control movement and posture.
What Are the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?
Children with cerebral palsy exhibit a wide variety of symptoms, including:
- lack of muscle coordination when performing voluntary movements (ataxia);
- stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity);
- walking with one foot or leg dragging;
- walking on the toes, a crouched gait, or a "scissored" gait;
- variations in muscle tone, either too stiff or too floppy;
- excessive drooling or difficulties swallowing or speaking;
- shaking (tremor) or random involuntary movements; and
- difficulty with precise motions, such as writing or buttoning a shirt.
As the early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear before a child reaches 3 years of age, parents are often the first to suspect that their baby's motor skills aren't developing normally.
Infants with cerebral palsy frequently have developmental delay, in which they are slow to reach developmental milestones such as learning to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk.
Congenital Cerebral Palsy
The majority of children with cerebral palsy are born with it, although it may not be detected until months or years later. This is called congenital cerebral palsy.
Acquired Cerebral Palsy
A small number of children have acquired cerebral palsy, which means the disorder begins after birth. In these cases, doctors can often pinpoint a specific reason for the problem.
The possible causes for acquired cerebral palsy include:
- brain damage in the first few months or years of life,
- brain infections such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis,
- head injury from a motor vehicle accident,
- a fall, or
- child abuse.
When to Contact a Birth Injury Attorney?
If you have a medical malpractice case involving cerebral palsy, contact one of our Boston personal injury lawyer at the Kiley Law Group. Our experienced attorneys have been fighting negligent doctors and hospitals in the Boston area for over 30 years.
The founder of Kiley Law Group, the Million Dollar Man himself, Thomas Kiley has been representing child birth injury victims for over 30 years. His experienced team of attorneys and legal professionals know how to deftly prove medical negligence in court and bring families to justice.
Tom Kiley does not merely understand the legal implications of your birth injury case, he understands your family's pain and suffering and can communicate that pain to a jury. He not only has the knowledge and tools to construct a strong case, but can also secure your family the monetary support you will need to cope with your child's disabilities for years to come.
Call our toll-free number to speak with Tom today.
Free Consultations.
