Tag Archives: cerebral palsy lawyers
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
Maine Settles CP Lawsuit
Three men with cerebral palsy sued the state of Maine for a lack of independence. The three men – Jacob Van Meter, Adam Fletcher and Eric Reeves – are all in their 20s and 30s. They were confined to living in nursing homes against their wishes, and they insisted that they were fully capable of living independent lives. They represented 121 people in a class action lawsuit that included people with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and other conditions that might require nursing home care. Specifically, the lawsuit claimed that the state violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Nursing Home Reform Act by not providing services that would integrate the men into their communities. The lawsuit was filed in 2009 and certified as a class action in 2011. The plaintiffs are content with the terms of the settlement. Over the next five years, the Department of Health and Human Services…
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Posted in Cerebral Palsy Tagged americans with disabilities act, birth injuries, cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy lawyers, nursing home reform act Comments Off on Maine Settles CP Lawsuit
New Drug Could Improve Cerebral Palsy Motor Skills
A new drug tested on rabbits, administered after birth, could lead to increased motor function for humans with cerebral palsy if further testing yields positive results. The drug, tested by researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in Detroit, was successful in improving motor skills for rabbits born with cerebral palsy-like symptoms. Until now, most preventative measures against cerebral palsy only worked while the mother was in utero. Dr. Sujatha Kannan, a study researcher with NICHD, said that these new findings could indicate “a window of opportunity for treatment, even after birth.” The researchers gave the new drug to one-year-old rabbits with limited muscle movement. Five days later, the rabbits were nearly as mobile as healthy rabbits. Rabbits with similar conditions were given placebos, and their movements did not improve. Much is still unknown about the drug. The effects may not be…
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Posted in Cerebral Palsy Tagged cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy lawyers Comments Off on New Drug Could Improve Cerebral Palsy Motor Skills
