Cerebral palsy is a developmental disorder that mainly affects the muscles and causes children to lose control of their movements. Patients also suffer from stiff and weak muscles, intellectual disabilities, hearing impairment, behavioral disorders, and gastrointestinal problems.

Cerebral palsy can be caused by various factors, like incomplete brain development, severe brain infection after birth, lack of oxygen during birth, a birth injury, premature birth, or a serious injury in the early years of life. There is no cure for cerebral palsy. However, different treatments and assistive techniques can help patients lead a good life.

It can be challenging to diagnose cerebral palsy early on. Some children show obvious symptoms after birth, like difficulty swallowing and low muscle tone. However, many other kids are diagnosed with this disorder later in life when they fail to achieve normal developmental milestones like walking, clapping, holding things, and balancing.

As a parent, raising a child with cerebral palsy can be a mental, emotional, physical, and financial challenge. In this article, we are going to discuss the crucial things that you should know about raising a child with cerebral palsy.    

1. File a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit

It can be emotionally taxing for parents to deal with their child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis. In any case, parents want to provide their children with the best medical care. However, it can be expensive considering cerebral palsy patients often require life-long assistance. Therefore, parents should take cerebral palsy legal aid to determine if their child’s disorder resulted due to medical negligence. If medical negligence is proven, you receive adequate monetary compensation to pay for your child’s treatment costs and other expenses.

Cerebral palsy is mostly caused due to medical malpractices like failure to detect fetal lack of oxygen, usage of excessive force during childbirth, improper use of forceps, and other factors. Therefore, parents are encouraged to take the services of an experienced attorney to file a cerebral palsy lawsuit. The process of filing a lawsuit includes;

• Get a free case evaluation from your attorney.
• Your attorney will collect evidence to support your argument that a birth injury caused cerebral palsy in your child.
• Both the parties (victim and defendants) are to narrate the events that occurred before, during, and after childbirth.
• Reports of medical professionals regarding the child’s condition are also carefully reviewed. 
• A common way to resolve a cerebral palsy lawsuit is meditation. It essentially means that both parties reach an out-of-court settlement.
• Cases that don’t reach a settlement go to trial.

The settlement amount for cerebral palsy can vary from case to case. Your attorney will also calculate the financial assistance for future medical treatments to determine the amount of compensation. However, a study by The Doctors Company Group reports that the average malpractice settlement amount paid is $936,843 for a child under one.

2. Bond with Other Parents Raising a Child with Cerebral Palsy

Every year several children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy in the US. It can be taxing for parents to deal with the situation. However, parents must realize that they are not alone. During the doctor visits and therapy sessions, you will come across other parents in a similar situation.

Moreover, various online groups on Facebook and other websites can also help you connect with other parents raising a child with cerebral palsy. It is crucial to bond with other parents because you can learn tips and tricks to better care for your child. Moreover, you can discuss and get new doctor suggestions, get reviews regarding specific products and help each other when things get tough.  

3. Help your Child Stay Active

Children with cerebral palsy can only move around to a certain extent. They have restricted muscle movements. Therefore, many of them may not be able to play sports, run or even walk. However, you must help your child stay active to avoid any other health problems that may develop due to lack of movement.

You can teach them exercises to help them use their muscles and strengthen them. Moreover, daily physical activity can also help reduce the incidence of muscle spasms. Some children with cerebral palsy are not able to perform advanced movements. Therefore, walking can be an ideal activity for them. Moreover, you can also utilize this time to connect with your child.

4. Maintain a Nutritious Diet for your Child

Children with cerebral palsy already have nutritional deficiencies. Hence, parents should try to maintain a healthy menu that includes all types of nutrients like eggs, avocados, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and similar foods. Children with cerebral palsy have weak muscles and bones, so try including foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium, or take the services of a nutritionist.

Give your child the freedom to touch and feel the food before swallowing. Make sure to stay near your child when they are eating because children with cerebral palsy often have difficulty swallowing. A Ketogenic diet with high-fat content and low carbs is considered ideal for children with cerebral palsy.  

5. Look After Your Mental Health

Children with cerebral palsy require a lot of assistance in their daily lives. They are not able to perform all the tasks easily performed by their age fellows. It can be extremely challenging for parents to raise a child with cerebral palsy. Moreover, seeing your child in pain can further drain your energy.

However, it is crucial to maintain a positive attitude and stay hopeful. Bond with other parents and keep a check on your mental health. If you are struggling, seek professional mental health services to deal with your problems. Stay in a positive attitude to uplift your child and help them focus on their strengths instead of their limitations.

The Bottom Line

Cerebral palsy is a developmental disorder that affects the muscles. It can impact the intellectual and mental abilities of a child. It can result from natural causes or a birth injury. In case of medical malpractice, parents should file a cerebral palsy lawsuit after receiving a diagnosis to claim financial assistance from the defendants to pay for their child’s treatment and other costs. 

It can be challenging for parents to raise a child with cerebral palsy. However, support from fellow parents and maintaining good mental health can make their journey easier. Moreover, it is crucial to keep your child physically active and provide nutritious diets to help them lead healthy life. Hopefully, this article will help you understand the crucial things to know for raising a child with cerebral palsy.