Chicago, IL 60601
FREE CONSULTATIONS 312-462-4200
TOLL FREE 833-462-4200
Recent Blog Posts
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals for Children With Cerebral Palsy
Growing up is hard enough. Growing up with a serious medical condition like cerebral palsy is even harder. The causes of cerebral palsy are varied and complex. However, some children suffer cerebral palsy because of complications during birth that cause brain damage. Some of these complications are unavoidable, while others are the result of a medical provider’s negligence.
Cerebral palsy manifests in many different ways, including uncontrollable movements, physical limitations, and learning difficulties. For many children with cerebral palsy, having a service animal or emotional support animal can be invaluable in helping them cope with the challenges that they face.
Service Animals for Children With Cerebral Palsy
Children with cerebral palsy often have difficulty with performing everyday tasks. Service animals are specially trained to help people with physical and cognitive impairments in their everyday lives. They can provide assistance such as retrieving objects, opening doors, retrieving objects, and providing emotional support. Some service animals are even trained to recognize and respond to medical events like seizures.
My Wife Died During Delivery. What Are My Legal Options?
Childbirth is substantially less dangerous than it was in the past. Unfortunately, however, maternal injury and death during childbirth does still occur in rare cases. If your wife passed away during the labor or delivery process, you are probably feeling grief-stricken, confused, and overwhelmed. You may not know what your legal options are in a situation like this.
Each situation is different. However, some maternal deaths are directly caused by medical negligence immediately before, during, or after birth. If your child’s mother died as a result of poor medical care, you may be able to seek justice on her behalf through a wrongful death claim.
Causes of Maternal Death During Birth
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. Medical mistakes and substandard medical care during pregnancy or birth that can cause fatal medical complications include:
Potential Benefits of Orthotic Devices for Children With Cerebral Palsy
Each child with cerebral palsy is unique. The condition manifests in countless ways and levels of severity. Some children experience minor impairment and can move their bodies without assistance. Others experience moderate symptoms such as irregular walking gait, twisted posture, involuntary movements, and speech difficulties. Children with severe cerebral palsy may be unable to control their limbs or walk at all. They may suffer from intellectual disabilities, vision and hearing loss, and seizures.
The treatment a child with cerebral palsy receives will depend on his or her unique symptoms and difficulties. However, orthotic devices can be beneficial in many situations, as they help to maintain or improve posture, control movement, reduce pain, and facilitate function. There are many different types of orthotic devices, including ankle foot orthosis, knee orthoses, hip abduction orthoses, thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis, and more.
How Can Prolonged Labor Lead to Birth Injuries?
Every mother hopes for a quick, problem-free birth. Unfortunately, sometimes the labor process can be wrought with complications and difficulties. Prolonged labor or "failure to progress" is any labor that lasts more than 20 hours for a first-time mother or 14 hours in subsequent births. Without medical intervention, prolonged labor puts both mother and baby at risk of birth injuries.
Why is Prolonged Labor So Dangerous?
Many different problems can cause prolonged labor. The baby may be too large to fit through the mother's birth canal or in the wrong position. Weak contractions and other issues can also lead to prolonged labor. Whatever the reason, prolonged labor can be very dangerous. Oxygen deprivation to the fetus is one of the biggest risks associated with prolonged labor. If the baby is stuck in the birth canal for too long, his or her oxygen levels will drop. If the oxygen is cut off long enough, the baby may suffer brain damage and permanent disability.
Can the Use of Forceps During Delivery Cause Cerebral Palsy?
When a child is diagnosed with a life-changing condition like cerebral palsy, the parents' first question is usually, "Why?" While there are many possible causes of cerebral palsy, parents often look to the mother's pregnancy, labor, and delivery for an explanation. Did a mistake during the birth process cause the child's condition? If forceps, vacuum extraction, or other tools were used during the delivery, did the use or misuse of these tools injure the baby?
Forceps Delivery and Brain Damage
Can the use of forceps during delivery cause cerebral palsy? While the jury is still out on this question, there is some evidence to suggest that forceps may play a role in certain cases. Forceps are sometimes used during a baby's birth if labor is not progressing normally. They are also sometimes used if the baby's head is too large to fit through the mother's pelvis, if the baby is in a breech position (bottom first), or if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck. The instrument guides the baby through the birth canal, ideally, allowing the baby to be born without complication.
Failure to Diagnose and Treat Maternal Infections Can Lead to Birth Injuries
Expectant mothers usually prioritize their health and safety as much as possible. They recognize that any illness or injury can hurt their growing baby. Unfortunately, even the most prudent mother may contract an infection during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Because infections can be so dangerous for pregnant women and newborns, doctors must be vigilant for signs of infection. Failure to promptly diagnose and treat infections can severely harm the baby or the mother.
Undiagnosed Infections in Pregnant Women
Infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnant women. According to the CDC, infections are responsible for 12.5 percent of maternal deaths in the United States. The most common types of infection during pregnancy are urinary tract infections, followed by respiratory infections like pneumonia. Other common infections include sexually transmitted infections such as herpes and gastrointestinal infections.
Electrical Stimulation Therapy for Children With Cerebral Palsy
One of the most characteristic symptoms of cerebral palsy is difficulty with movement. Some sufferers of cerebral palsy have mild muscle rigidity or spastic movements while others experience debilitating uncontrolled movements, muscle spasms, and loss of control.
Although there is no cure for cerebral palsy, medical and technological advances provide both children and parents with hope. One option many parents of children with cerebral palsy explore is electrical stimulation therapy.
What is Electrical Stimulation Therapy?
Electrical stimulation therapy or functional electrical stimulation use electrical currents to simulate nerves in people with cerebral palsy, stroke, or other medical conditions. Some evidence suggests that electoral muscle stimulation may help children with cerebral palsy gain greater control over their muscles – especially when combined with physical therapy. Nerve stimulation may help children walk and play, reduce their muscle rigidity and spasticity, and increase motor function.
Can I Sue a Doctor for Giving My Baby a Skull Fracture?
Skull fractures during birth are more common than many people realize. While many skull fractures sustained at birth are minor and will heal on their own without any long-term effects, some can be much more serious. In some cases, a baby can sustain a skull fracture that leads to serious health complications, including brain damage. If your baby sustained a skull fracture during birth and suffered health complications as a result, you may be wondering if you can sue the doctor for medical malpractice.
When Is an Infant Skull Fracture Considered Medical Malpractice?
As with any potential medical malpractice case, there are a few key elements that must be present in order for you to have a valid claim. First, it must be proven that the doctor breached the standard of care that is expected of medical professionals. Second, it must be shown that this breach of care directly led to your baby’s skull fracture. Finally, you must be able to prove that your baby suffered health complications as a result of the skull fracture.
4 Complementary Therapy Options for Children with Cerebral Palsy
If you are the parent of a child with cerebral palsy, you have probably spent many hours reading books, browsing the internet, and talking to your child's doctors about cerebral palsy treatment options. Cerebral palsy can cause a wide range of symptoms, from spastic movements and muscle rigidity to intellectual disability. According to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation, about a quarter of children with CP also suffer from behavioral and emotional problems such as anxiety and difficulty relating to their peers.
Traditional CP treatments include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medications, orthodontic devices, and surgery. While these treatments can be very effective, many parents are starting to look into alternative treatment options as well.
Alternative Treatments for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Parents of children with cerebral palsy often take a multifaceted approach to treatment. They pursue "out of the box" treatment options in addition to traditional treatment options. If your child has cerebral palsy, consider asking your child's doctor about:
Birth Injury Claims for Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Resulting in Cerebral Palsy
When a baby is born, the timing is crucial. Infants must transition from receiving oxygen and nutrients through the umbilical cord to breathing on their own and receiving oxygen through their lungs. If this transition is not smooth, it can result in a lack of oxygen to the brain, which is called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE. When HIE occurs, it can cause serious injury to the brain. In some cases, HIE can result in a lifelong condition called cerebral palsy.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy after suffering from HIE at birth, you may be able to file a birth injury claim against the doctor or hospital responsible for your child's care. An experienced birth injury attorney can help you understand your legal options and take the next steps.
What is Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy?
312-462-4200
60 W Randolph Street, Suite 400,
Chicago, IL 60601
Contact Our Firm
The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.
I have read and understand the Disclaimer and Privacy Policy.
