Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
Doctors diagnose cerebral palsy (CP) by considering and
monitoring many factors, usually after the first or second year
of a child's development. Doctors test a child's physical and
behavioral signs, including motor skills. There is also a
detailed examination of both the mother's and child's medical
histories.
In order to reach a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, doctors
check for slow development, abnormal muscle tone, unusual
posture, reflexes, and early development of hand preference. For
example, reflexes are important because some come and go as a
child ages. The Moro reflex is one. If a newborn baby is held on
its back and tilted so the legs are above its head, the baby
will automatically extend its arms in a gesture, called the Moro
reflex, which looks like an embrace. Babies normally lose this
reflex after they reach 6 months, but those with cerebral palsy
may retain it for abnormally long periods.
Hand preference -- a tendency to use either the right or left
hand more often -- also reveals a great deal. When the doctor
holds an object in front and to the side of the infant, an
infant with hand preference will use the favored hand to reach
for the object, even when it is held closer to the opposite
hand. During the first 12 months of life, babies do not usually
show hand preference. But infants with spastic hemiplegia (a
form of CP), in particular, may develop a preference much
earlier, since the hand on the unaffected side of their body is
stronger and more useful.
There are several different types of tests that assist in the
diagnosis of CP:
- Intelligence tests often are administered to a child with
CP to evaluate mental impairment;
- An electroencephalogram (EEG) traces electrical activity
in the brain and can reveal patterns that suggest a seizure
disorder;
- Imaging tests are helpful in diagnosing hydrocephalus,
structural abnormalities, and tumors. This information can
help the physician assess the child's long-term prognosis;
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a magnetic field and
radio waves to create pictures of the internal structures of
the brain. This study is performed on older children. It
defines abnormalities of white matter and motor cortex more
clearly than other methods.
The most important thing doctors must determine is that the
child's condition is not getting worse. Although its symptoms
may change over time, cerebral palsy by definition is not
progressive. If a child is continuously losing additional motor
skills, the problem more likely springs from elsewhere -
including genetic diseases, muscle diseases, disorders of
metabolism, or tumors in the nervous system. The child's medical
history, special diagnostic tests, and, in some cases, repeated
check-ups can help confirm that other disorders are not at
fault.
Haymond Law is committed to helping those whose lives have
been affected by cerebral palsy. We provide personalized
representation to families with children who have serious
medical conditions including cerebral palsy. Our attorneys pride
themselves on personal attention to detail, and will go to
clients' homes if they are unable to come to any of their
offices.
A statute of limitations applies to cerebral palsy medical
malpractice claims, placing time limits on the amount of time
families have to pursue a CP medical malpractice case. Contact
the attorneys of Haymond Law so that we can valuate your
information and contact you to discuss your situation. |
