SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY
INFORMATION REGARDING SPASTIC DIPLEGIC CEREBRAL PALSY
Spastic cerebral palsy can be caused by damage to the brain’s motor cortex during birth. One in 500 babies is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and approximately 80% of cerebral palsy children are spastic. Many of those cases were preventable. Spastic cerebral palsy affects muscle control. Individuals with this type of cerebral palsy have spastic muscles and have difficulty moving without appearing stiff or halted.
Spasticity is the result of abnormally increased muscle tone, or “hypertonia,” which makes certain movements difficult, if not completely impossible. This stiffness occurs when damaged portions of the person’s brain send signals incorrectly to the muscles.
In infants and young children, spasticity is often assessed through observation, such as watching the child’s movement. A doctor may complete a full observation by examining the child’s joints and trying to elicit a quick muscle response to measure the child’s response time.
A Thorough Assessment Will Determine:
- The extent of the child’s muscle control
- The overall severity of the spasticity
- Which muscles the spasticity affects
- How spasticity will influence the child’s ability to perform tasks
Spastic cerebral palsy is further broken down into several different forms, based on the symptoms and area of movement. This disease is broken down as follows:
- Spastic Diplegia – Muscle stiffness in the legs
- Spastic Hemiplegia – One side of the body is affected and the arm is typically stiffer than the leg.
- Spastic Quadriplegia – Both arms and both legs are affected in addition to the torso and the face.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by events before, during, or after birth including a lack of oxygen and blood flow, or even hypoglycemia. Many cases of cerebral palsy are preventable if the cause is a lack of oxygen during labor, and if it is treated by a timely cesarean section before the brain is permanently injured.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most severe forms of birth injury. In the context of medical negligence, oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery is a major contributor to cerebral palsy in newborns. If a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional is responsible for your child’s injury, you have the right to seek compensation through a birth injury lawsuit.
