Athetoid Cerebral Palsy Caused by New York Medical Malpractice: Albany Medical Malpractice Lawyer Explains

Understanding Athetoid Cerebral Palsy: Albany Medical Malpractice Lawyer Shares Facts

Your baby is precious.  We all know that.  So when your baby is diagnosed with a severe and debilitating disease like cerebral palsy, it can be a traumatic experience for parents.  The only thing more traumatic and upsetting is knowing that this diagnosis was the result of New York medical malpractice.  That is, a healthcare provider’s reckless, careless, and downright negligent acts have resulted in significant harm to a patient.  When this happens, you and your family should speak with our Albany medical malpractice lawyer to learn what your rights may be to compensation.

What is Athetoid Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy literally means “cerebral” for brain and “palsy” for weakness or injury.  There are four main types of cerebral palsy, but many other subsets.  The types depend on the location of the damage to the brain.  Athetoid cerebral palsy is one very common type of cerebral palsy which is caused by damage to the basal ganglia.  This area of the brain affects gross motor movement and voluntary movement.

The general signs and symptoms of athetoid cerebral palsy include slow, uncontrolled movements which are voluntary, or small, rapid, random, and repetitive movements which are involuntary movements.  Issues with posture and muscle tone being too soft or flaccid, or too firm and rigid are also common symptoms.  Patients may also have difficulty with maintaining a healthy weight as the excessive and uncontrolled movements may result in high caloric expenditures.

Causes of Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

The causes of athetoid cerebral palsy could be numerous, including natural causes like genetics.  But causes like New York medical malpractice may also be common and occur.  This means that victims may be injured and develop athetoid cerebral palsy because of the following medical errors:

• Failure to detect fetal distress;
• Not identifying an umbilical cord rupture;
• Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractor;
• Dropping the baby;
• Excessive contractions causing cord compression;
• Umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck;
• Excessive use of pitocin to induce contractions; and
• Many other causes.

If negligent doctors hurt your baby, shouldn’t they be liable?  Wouldn’t you or someone else be liable if you hurt a young child?  Why shouldn’t a doctor?  Especially causing a lifetime of serious injuries like in a cerebral palsy case.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.