Some birth injuries are diagnosed immediately. Clavicle injuries or fractured bones can be identified by a physician as soon as the child is born. Children who have suffered these types of injuries start getting immediate treatment and often make a full recovery.
But cerebral palsy is a bit different. It generally happens when a child loses oxygen or blood flow to the brain, so it is a type of brain injury. Often, experts note that a formal diagnosis may not be made until the child is two or three years old. Why is there such a significant delay?
Motor skills and developmental stages
Cerebral palsy often leads to issues with different motor skills. Children may have trouble controlling certain functions, they may have stiff muscles or they may experience limited mobility on one side of the body and not the other.
This usually means that the child begins to miss specific milestones in their development. They do not roll over at the expected time. They do not begin to crawl when the pediatrician believes they should. They may have trouble sitting up or learning to walk.
But it takes time to identify these symptoms because a newborn baby simply does not have those skills or abilities to begin with. It can take months or years for them to begin exhibiting symptoms and missing these milestones, which is when medical professionals finally make the official diagnosis.
Seeking compensation
In some cases, when children suffer from cerebral palsy, their families are due financial compensation. It is important for parents to know what legal options they have.