Cerebral Palsy

Maryland Malpractice Lawyer: Cerebral Palsy

About 10,000 babies per year in the U.S. will develop cerebral palsy, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention; about two-thirds of them will be mentally impaired and half of them will suffer from seizures.

Cerebral palsy involves brain damage to the part of the brain that controls movement. It isn't a single condition by a group of neurological disorders that affects a child's muscles and development in a variety of ways. Symptoms can include:

• Lack of muscle coordination
• Stiff muscles and spastic reflexes
• Walking with one foot or leg dragging
• Muscle tone that is too stiff or too floppy
• Excessive drooling
• Difficulty swallowing, sucking or speaking
• Tremors
• Poor sense of touch or pain
• Impaired large and small motor skills
• Delayed crawling and walking
• Delayed speech
• Difficulty controlling the head
• Poor balance

Lack of oxygen to the brain during labor and delivery is one of the causes of cerebral palsy.

The brain of an unborn child can be starved of oxygen if labor goes on too long, if the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the child's neck, if the doctor fails to recognize fetal distress and order a prompt C-section, among other circumstances.

At the Law Offices of David E. Fink, we represent families whose child developed cerebral palsy due to a birth injury. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy or suffered any other type of birth trauma caused by medical negligence, please contact our medical malpractice attorney today to arrange a free initial consultation and case evaluation. From offices in Baltimore, we represent clients throughout the state.