New Therapy Developed for Cerebral Palsy Patients

New Therapy Developed for Cerebral Palsy Patients

Emma Gonzalez | July 6th, 2012 | Posted in Birth Injury Lawsuits

During labor and delivery, a lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain can have very serious and lifelong consequences. In fact, low oxygen resulting in brain damage may cause a child to develop cerebral palsy, a permanent condition that affects the central nervous system and the brain. In some cases, medical negligence is at fault, and parents have filed a birth injury lawsuit as a result. While settlements or jury verdicts can never truly recompense a family’s pain or an injured child’s suffering, compensation for birth injuries can help pay for ongoing medical bills, therapies and other improvements to quality of life.

Compensation for birth injuries help pay for treatment

Fortunately for those families who have suffered a birth injury resulting in cerebral palsy, science is working to develop treatments to settle spastic muscles and ease discomfort associated with the condition. Baclofen (lioresal) is a prescription drug that helps relax muscles, and is already part of successful treatment plans for many patients. However, since the drug is taken orally as a pill, it is distributed not only to the spine – its target area – but also to the brain, sometimes causing confusion and sedation. In some patients, the side effects of oral Baclofen are so severe that they must discontinue use of the drug. However, the latest innovation is a Baclofen pump, also known as intrathecal Baclofen therapy, that is subcutaneously implanted in the abdomen and delivers medicine directly into the patient’s spinal fluid.

ITB pump offers relief to cerebral palsy sufferers

Many patients with cerebral palsy may also experience other conditions, usually attributed to low oxygen resulting in brain damage at birth. These can include clumsiness, difficulty walking and, in the most extreme cases, total immobility. Unfortunately, while available treatments help many sufferers, not all are good candidates. For example, ITB therapy may not be suitable for some children, as it can cause complications like constipation, depression, breathing difficulties, seizures, depression, and hallucinations. However, according to Dr. Ruth Benedict, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin, ITB therapy will permit some children to enjoy greater ease and comfort while performing regular, everyday activities.

Experienced birth injury attorneys

Cutting-edge therapies can improve a child’s quality of life, but they often come with staggering costs. Compensation for birth injuries, especially low oxygen resulting in brain damage, can help cover these medical costs. The birth injury attorneys at Balkin & Eisbrouch understand your needs, and will help you seek legal action for medical negligence and other events that led to birth injury. Call us to discuss your case today.