New York Cerebral Palsy Information

Provided by a New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Cerebral palsy is a serious and permanent birth injury, which may cause limited motion, involuntary movements of limbs, poor coordination and head control, slow development, and other serious medical and physical problems.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which is a part of the National Institutes of Health, define this devastating condition as follows:

• The term cerebral palsy refers 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 worsen 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 in parts of the brain that control muscle movements. The majority of children with cerebral palsy are born with it, although it may not be detected right away.
• The most common early signs of cerebral palsy, which usually appear before a child reaches 3 years of age, are a 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; and muscle tone that is either too stiff or too floppy.
• A small number of children have cerebral palsy as the result of brain damage in the first few months or years of life caused by brain infections, such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or from head trauma sustained from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse.

When this devastating condition occurs, and there is a possibility that the condition is a result of negligence or medical malpractice, consult with New York medical malpractice attorney Walter G. Alton, Jr., Esq. a well-respected and experienced trial attorney who will thoroughly investigate and evaluate the cause of the cerebral palsy, and determine whether there is a lawsuit to be prosecuted on your behalf or on behalf of your infant or loved one.