What Is Athetoid Cerebral Palsy?
Athetoid cerebral palsy is a form of dyskinetic cerebral palsy classified by involuntary movements of the arms, hands, legs, face and trunk. It is caused by early injury to a child's basal ganglia and cerebellum. These areas of the brain control posture and coordination.
Between 10 and 20 percent of children with cerebral palsy have athetoid cerebral palsy. It is often evident in young children who have trouble meeting developmental milestones such as crawling, walking and sitting. Children with athetoid cerebral palsy may also have difficulty:
- Maintaining their posture
- Speaking
- Eating and swallowing
- Reaching or grasping for something
- Controlling their facial reactions
Symptoms of athetoid cerebral palsy can worsen over time, but the actual damage to the brain does not change.
Was Your Child's Athetoid Cerebral Palsy Caused by a Birth Injury?
If your child was injured during birth, it may be possible to bring a birth injury claim to recover compensation for your child's injuries and medical care. However, not all cases of CP are the result of a birth injury. Questions to ask include:
- Did your delivery doctor make an error during birth?
- Was your child's CP caused by that error?
- Would your child have suffered from athetoid CP if your doctor had acted appropriately?
Of course, you may not know the answers to these questions right now. If you suspect that the doctor did not act appropriately during your delivery, it may be time to speak with a lawyer experienced in birth injury cases.
Our Birth Injury Team Can Help
The birth injury team at Silvers, Langsam & Weitzman, P.C., in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is comprised of experienced medical professionals and birth injury lawyers. We are dedicated to helping parents find answers regarding their children's cerebral palsy and securing the care and support they need to move forward.
Contact us by calling 215-227-2727 or sending us an email.
