Birth mistakes are among the common causes of cerebral palsy in infants. Because birthing is a complex process and because children are very vulnerable immediately afterward, there are several different ways that the types of birth mistakes that cause cerebral palsy can occur. The most important thing to understand about these birth mistakes is that, ultimately, they all result in the child suffering a brain injury that causes them to suffer the symptoms of one of the disorders that falls under the umbrella label of cerebral palsy. There are different types of cerebral palsy and the condition can vary greatly in terms of severity between one individual and the next.

Oxygen Deprivation

Sometimes, a child is deprived of oxygen during the birthing process. This may occur because the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around their neck and strangles them or it may be because they come to be pinned in an odd position during the birthing process and the blood flow to the brain is cut off. When medical negligence plays a role in this happening to the child, parents oftentimes opt to file a lawsuit.

Infections

A case filed in Washington recently alleged that contaminated medical supplies resulted in an infection that subsequently caused cerebral palsy in the child of the parent who filed the lawsuit. There are certain types of infections that can result in brain damage and that, because of that, can be the cause of cerebral palsy. While these infections may be the cause of cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy itself is not an infectious disease: it is a condition that results from a brain injury, which is not communicable.

Delayed Action

A successful lawsuit in Maine was filed because a child was not delivered via cesarean section as soon as they should have been. The mother’s amniotic fluid was determined to have been too low for the fetus during pregnancy and, because the child was not delivered in time, it suffered the brain injuries that led to a severe case of cerebral palsy. Not taking an action that could have been expected of any normal doctor or taking an action that any normal doctor could’ve been expected to avoid and having an injury result as a consequence of the action or inaction is medical negligence.

Cerebral palsy is a challenge for the children and the parents who deal with it. Like so many challenges, however, some families manage to overcome it. When the cause of the disorder is a birth mistake caused by medical negligence, parents oftentimes end up suing for damages.