Causes And Risk Factors of Cerebral Palsy

In some cases, cerebral palsy will develop as a result of unpreventable factors, such as genetic dispositions or fetal development disorders. In fact, many instances of cerebral palsy have unidentifiable causes.
However, in other cases, cerebral palsy may occur following medical mistakes made before, during or after a baby's birth. Malpractice that can contribute to a case of cerebral palsy includes failing to promptly detect and appropriately treat:

an infant's lack of oxygen
exposure to toxins (such as lead or mercury)
infant signs of distress (including changes in heart rate)
infant infections (including meningitis)
jaundice in newborns
maternal infections (including syphilis, measles or chicken pox)
maternal signs of distress (such as high blood pressure, blood poisoning or elevated heart rates)
prolapsed cord (a condition in which the umbilical cord wraps around a baby's neck and cuts off his air supply)
seizures (in either the pregnant mother or the newborn)

Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy

Medical mistakes are most likely to occur when other labor and delivery complications, such as the following, arise:
breech birth (babies are delivered feet first, rather than head first)
low birth weight
multiple births
premature birth
Other medical mistakes that can cause cerebral palsy include:
excessive use of vacuum extraction (during delivery)
improper use of forceps (during delivery)
failure to perform essential C-sections (when signs of fetal or maternal distress indicate the procedure is necessary)

In any of the above-listed events, babies are highly likely to suffer brain damage that results in cerebral palsy. Additionally, injured newborns and their families may be entitled to compensation by pursuing a cerebral palsy lawsuit.