Birth should be an exciting experience for everyone involved. Unfortunately, new parents can be devastated to learn that their child has cerebral palsy as a result of birth injury. About 8,000 to 10,000 babies develop cerebral palsy each year. Not only is the cost of birth expensive, but this long-term, chronic medical condition can cost families over $921,000 over the child’s life.

That $921,000 figure doesn’t include how much money a family might spend on emergency room visits, lost wages from missing work to caretake, psychosocial treatments and more. Cerebral palsy is an expensive condition. If negligent medical care is to blame, you deserve to be compensated.

Some of the most common children’s cerebral palsy treatments include:

• Medications: Medications include those to reduce drooling, muscle or nerve injections and oral muscle relaxants. These are designed to address severe muscle tightness. Some medications can be delivered through a spinal pump.
• Therapies: Physical therapy is important for children with cerebral palsy. They can help your child develop better strength, flexibility, motor control and balance. This is also an opportunity for parents to learn how to properly care for their child in the early years. Later in life, occupational therapy is used to help them navigate work and school activities. They may need speech and language therapy to communicate verbally or through sign language. They may also need electronic communication devices like voice synthesizers.
• Surgeries: Some children require surgery to correct bone abnormalities and severe muscle tightness. This can be accomplished with orthopedic surgery or cutting nerve fibers.
• Other treatments: Finally, your child may need other treatments and medications to address issues like incontinence, problems with sleep, mental health issues, feeding and more.

Adults may also need ongoing treatments, from medications to surgeries. Cerebral palsy patients commonly suffer from heart, dental, vision and hearing problems, issues with maintaining muscle tone and orthopedic problems. However, they may experience other issues throughout their lives.

Cerebral Palsy and Birth Injuries

As you can see, cerebral palsy is a physically, emotionally and financially devastating condition. When it’s caused by a negligent healthcare provider, it can be an even bigger blow. Traumatic head injuries, lack of oxygen at birth and bleeding into the brain are some of the ways a negligent provider may be to blame.

If you suspect your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by birth injury, a personal injury attorney can help you recover compensation. This can ease your financial burden in the years to come.

Talk to an Ohio Birth Injury Attorney About Your Case

If your infant developed cerebral palsy due to a birth injury, you may be able to recover compensation for your financial damages and more. I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at 877.944.4373 today to learn whether you have a cause of action.