Cerebral palsy affects thousands of children, but not all cases are unavoidable. When medical professionals fail to provide appropriate care during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, preventable brain injuries occur.

Cerebral palsy results from brain damage before, during, or shortly after birth. While some cases stem from genetic factors or unavoidable complications, many result from oxygen deprivation, untreated infections, or trauma during delivery—all preventable with proper medical care.

If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, certain warning signs indicate that medical negligence may be responsible:

1. Prolonged or Difficult Labor Without Intervention. When labor stalls or becomes complicated, medical professionals must act decisively. If your labor lasted an unusually long time without appropriate interventions like cesarean section, and your child developed cerebral palsy, negligence may be involved.
2. Fetal Distress That Was Ignored. Fetal heart rate monitors detect when babies aren’t getting enough oxygen. If medical staff failed to respond to clear signs of fetal distress—abnormal heart rates, lack of movement, or meconium in amniotic fluid—resulting brain damage is their responsibility.
3. Delayed Emergency Cesarean Section. Emergency C-sections are necessary when vaginal delivery becomes dangerous. Delays in performing needed cesarean sections, often due to poor judgment or inadequate staffing, cause oxygen deprivation and brain injury.
4. Improper Use of Delivery Instruments. Forceps and vacuum extractors require skill and careful judgment. Excessive force, too many extraction attempts, or using instruments when contraindicated causes direct brain trauma leading to cerebral palsy.
5. Untreated Maternal Infections. Infections during pregnancy—particularly Group B strep, urinary tract infections, or chorioamnionitis—require prompt treatment. When doctors fail to test for or treat these infections, they spread to the baby causing brain damage.
6. Failure to Monitor High-Risk Pregnancies. High-risk pregnancies require enhanced monitoring. Conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or placental problems demand vigilant care. When doctors fail to provide appropriate oversight, preventable complications cause cerebral palsy.
7. Medication Errors or Contraindicated Drugs. Certain medications during pregnancy or labor can harm developing brains. Prescribing contraindicated drugs or administering incorrect dosages of necessary medications constitutes negligence when cerebral palsy results.
8. Neonatal Care Failures. Brain injuries can occur after birth when medical staff fail to recognize and treat jaundice, infections, or breathing problems. Delayed treatment of these conditions in newborns causes preventable brain damage.

If you recognize these warning signs in your child’s birth story, medical negligence may have altered your family’s life forever. The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you with your birth injury claim. When your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by medical negligence, I’ll Make Them Pay!^® Call my office at (877) 614-9524 so that I can evaluate your case right away.