You were so happy when you found out you were pregnant. You planned and planned. You bought furniture, toys, and cute little baby clothes, worried over what type of nappies were best for the bum and what kind of dummy would your little one like best. You waited and waited for the day to arrive – and arrive it did.
The birth didn’t progress as expected and an emergency cesarean section was required. Your baby had meconium staining and developed jaundice while in hospital but everything seemed to work out alright. Your bundle of joy was beautiful, just like you imagined. The first three months seemed terrific, but things began to change.
When other mums said their babies could hold their head up, yours hadn’t. When other mums said their babies had rolled over, yours had just started to hold his head up. The doctor said “give him time” and “some babies take longer”. When other mums said their babies were sitting, you really started to worry. You stopped going to the mummy groups and when he had his first seizure, you rushed him to the hospital.
They told you that your precious baby may have Cerebral Palsy and asked you lots of questions about your pregnancy and his first months. The hospital said that nothing had been done wrong and tried to blame it on you.
About Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy occurs when the developing brain is damaged. The damage can occur during pregnancy, the first month of life or sometimes in early childhood but often occurs during delivery. This may be what happened to your child. The doctor may have waited too long to do the C-section. The meconium and jaundice may have been toxic to his brain. These are not the only causes of Cerebral Palsy but they are common.
Any birth injury, either to the baby or to the mother can be devastating and the hospital will most often deny that anything went wrong. You or your child may require intensive treatment and extended care which can be very expensive.
Seeking Help
Because you and your family are alone in the fight and may be facing years of difficulty and lost dreams, it is important that you consult with a medical negligence team. You say “I am not a litigious type” but making a claim may provide you with the means to care for your child.
It is hard to face the life your child may have ahead and consider what you must do to take care of him. It is harder to do it without help.
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