If you have a child and you are informed that they are affected with cerebral palsy, you’re going to be in a very distressing situation. It’s inevitable that you’re going to face very high medical expenses to help care for your child. Of course, your child will face the same expenses when they get old enough and when you can no longer care for them. Understanding cerebral palsy, however, means that you have to divest yourself of some of the most common misconceptions about this group of disorders.
It’s Not a Disease
Cerebral palsy is not a disease. It can result from infections and other illnesses, but cerebral palsy is not a disease in and of itself. Cerebral palsy is a disorder. It is caused by a brain injury, not a virus, not a bacteria and not a genetic mutation. There are cases, however, where illnesses brought about by bacteria and viruses may end up causing the brain injuries that result in cerebral palsy.
It’s Not Cognitive Impairment
Many cases of cerebral palsy are accompanied by cognitive impairment of varying degrees. Not all of the sufferers of cerebral palsy have this particular symptom, however. Some people with cerebral palsy have the same mental acuity that any other child or adult their age would have. It’s important to understand that cerebral palsy results from a brain injury and, therefore, the degree of impairment to a person’s cognition is highly variable, as are brain injuries between one individual and the next in terms of the extent of the damage. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes impossible to assess how much cognitive impairment a child has suffered until they get old enough to start school.
It Doesn’t Get Worse
For many parents, the fact that cerebral palsy does not worsen with age is one of the few bits of good news they get in this situation. Cerebral palsy, as far as the brain injury is concerned, will not get worse on its own. There are cases, however, where the symptoms of the disorder get worse. For example, an older individual with cerebral palsy may have more trouble walking than they did when they were younger.
A Texas birth injury attorney can help you to understand the reality of cerebral palsy from a legal and a liability standpoint. Birth injuries that result from medical negligence are oftentimes causes to file a lawsuit and, with a good attorney, your chances of winning are much higher.