New York Birth Injury Lawyers Explaining the Screening Process for Cerebral Palsy

The parents of any newborn are obviously intensely interested in the delivery of that child.  However, since the vast majority of new parents are not surgeons or medical doctors, they are generally unaware of any mistakes that may have been made unless they are completely obvious at the time.

Unfortunately, many mistakes made during the delivery process can ultimately lead to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, and because of several factors it can be difficult to pinpoint how such a condition was contracted.  If your child has received this diagnosis and you’re concerned that it may be the result of a medical mistake, you need to seek the help of experienced New York birth injury lawyers as soon as possible.  Below is a brief overview of the cerebral palsy screening process.

Early Signs of Cerebral Palsy

As stated above, it can be difficult to trace the potential cause of cerebral palsy back to a mistake during the child’s delivery.  One of the many reasons for this challenge is because many children are not diagnosed with this condition until 2 – 3 years after they have been born.  Generally, the first people to notice that there is something wrong with the child are the parents.

After the parents notice a problem, they will usually take the step of seeing a doctor in order to obtain a thorough examination.  When the doctor examines the child, he or she will test for several skills and functions that should have advanced to a certain level based on the age of that child.  Specifically, a doctor will screen that child with regards to his or her reflexes, muscle tone, coordination, motor skills and sense of balance.  The doctor may also screen for other sensory development that includes looking for vision problems, hearing problems, speech disorders or a lack of overall cognitive development.

If the doctor finds something wrong with a preliminary examination, he or she will usually move into more thorough and specific forms of medical tests that are designed to specifically determine whether a child has cerebral palsy and if so, what form of cerebral palsy has been contracted.  If that’s the ultimate diagnosis, this specific information will be needed so that a course of care can be planned for the child going forward.

How New York Birth Injury Lawyers Can Help

Many times, parents make the terribly unnerving discovery that their child has contracted cerebral palsy and that it may have been the result of a medical mistake years after that mistake was made.  Unfortunately, many parents will also assume that it’s too late to stand up for their rights.  That is simply not the case in many situations.  If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you want to find out more about your legal rights, seek the advice of New York birth injury lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of children for 40 years.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.