Category Archives: Cerebral Palsy
Liver Condition Can Cause Cerebral Palsy if Undiagnosed
The liver processes many chemicals, including bilirubin, a waste chemical that results from the breakdown of certain cells. Bilirubin causes the yellow tint seen in bruises and urine. Some people have a condition wherein their liver cannot process bilirubin, so it builds up in the bloodstream. This condition is called hyperbilirubinemia, and it can cause jaundice or severe brain damage if left untreated. Occasionally, unborn children develop hyperbilirubinemia while in utero. The placenta is responsible for processing bilirubin, and sometimes the child cannot process it after birth. Fortunately, doctors can easily treat and reverse the condition if they find it early on by employing a mix of phototherapy and blood transfusion. If they fail to find it, however, the child may develop kernicterus, which may cause brain damage or cerebral palsy. Fortunately, kernicterus rates are very low in infants, affecting between .4 and 2.9 instances per 100,000 live births according…
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Posted in Cerebral Palsy Tagged bilirubin, birth trauma attorneys, cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy lawyers, hyperbilirubinemia, kernicterus Comments Off on Liver Condition Can Cause Cerebral Palsy if Undiagnosed
Chilled Blankets Decrease Rates of Cerebral Palsy, Study Says
A federally funded study found that using chilled blankets immediately after birth reduces the risk of cerebral palsy and infant death. The study charted survival rates of children born with birth trauma, mainly lack of oxygen during birth (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a.k.a HIE). Doctors studied 208 births in various hospitals across the country. Doctors identified children with HIE within six hours of their birth and administered either traditional treatments or a cooling blanket. Cold water circulates through the blanket, cooling the newborn’s temperature. Researchers found that newborns in the traditional treatment group had a mortality rate of 44 percent, while newborns given the chilled blanket treatment (called hypothermia) had a mortality rate of 28 percent. They were also less likely to develop conditions usually associated with traumatic birth, such as cerebral palsy, limited motor function, vision problems and epilepsy. The hypothermia treatment is standard practice at many hospitals. The study expands…
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Posted in Birth Trauma, Cerebral Palsy Tagged birth trauma, birth trauma lawyer, cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy attorney, chilled blanket, hie, infant death, traumatic birth Comments Off on Chilled Blankets Decrease Rates of Cerebral Palsy, Study Says
Mother Sentenced for Starving Her Disabled Daughter
Angela Norman’s daughter Makayla died on March 1, 2011. She was 14 years old and weighed 28 pounds. She exhibited many signs of neglect, including numerous bedsores. The coroner’s office said that she died from nutritional and medical neglect complicated by a chronic condition – she had cerebral palsy. Ken Betz, director of the coroner’s office, said Makayla was the “worst malnourished child this office has ever seen.” Norman pleaded guilty to a felony count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and to misdemeanor and felony counts of endangering children. She was sentenced to nine years in prison. The maximum sentence she could have received was ten years. Three nurses – Mollie E. Parsons, Kathryn Williams and Mary K. Kilby – are also facing charges for failing to report the situation at the Norman household. Parsons’ job was to visit the home six days a week and administer care. Williams was Parsons’…
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Posted in Cerebral Palsy Tagged angela norman, cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy attorneys, makayla norman Comments Off on Mother Sentenced for Starving Her Disabled Daughter
