Cerebral Palsy (CP) affects muscle development, movement, and posture. As many as one million people in the United States suffer from CP, and while some of these are due to unpreventable measures, a good percentage of them are preventable.
Cerebral Palsy statistics show that medical mistakes during pregnancy, labor, and delivery significantly increase the risk of Cerebral Palsy prevalence. Children with Cerebral Palsy often require around-the-clock care and monitoring. High medical costs, ongoing time off of work, and lives drastically different from the one parents planned are what many birth parents are left with.
Here are a few cerebral palsy statistics to help you understand what causes it, how it impacts a person’s life, and what options you may have available. These Cerebral Palsy statistics can also help parents learn how a lawsuit may help their case.
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral Palsy is a developmental disability that affects the body’s movement and posture. Most commonly, children with Cerebral Palsy develop the disability due to damage to the developing brain [1].
A birth injury causes as many as 70% of Cerebral Palsy cases [2]. As many as one out of every 345 children born will have Cerebral Palsy in the United States. CP is one of the most common childhood disabilities, but it is often a preventable one.
Although many cases are of unknown origin, Cerebral Palsy can occur in children born prematurely, with a low birth weight, and in those with a virus at birth. It may also arise from chemical or substance abuse during pregnancy, maternal infection, brain bleeding, or trauma during birth [3]. Children with CP may show stiffened muscles, a lack of muscle development, an inability to balance, and jerky, uncontrolled movements.
Risk Factors of Cerebral Palsy
Common Cerebral Palsy risk factors include race, birth weight, and gender. Other risk factors for children with CP include the mother’s health during pregnancy and the medical care received during labor and delivery. Here are a few additional Cerebral Palsy statistics related to disability risks.
Race
Black children are at a higher risk of Cerebral Palsy than white children. This could be because black mothers are more likely to suffer preterm labor at a rate of 1.6 times higher than other populations [4].
Gender
Males tend to be at a higher risk of CP cases than females [5]. Experts believe this may be due to varying brain organizations and genetic variants found in males. However, females are not immune to brain damage suffered from birth.
Birth Weight
Birth weight is one of the top Cerebral Palsy risk factors. Children born with a lower birth rate are at an increased risk of developing CP. Additionally, children born preterm may be more likely to develop CP [6].
The Illinois Department of Health considers a preterm birth to be a baby born before 37 weeks [7]. Babies born before full development are more likely to have breathing difficulties and intellectual disability. They are also more likely to be diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.
Illinois reported an occurrence of 8.65% of low birth rate deliveries in 2022 [8].
Income
Income can also impact CP cases. More recent research shows that the prevalence of Cerebral Palsy has decreased in high-income countries to 1.6 per 1,000 live births [9]. This could be due to access to better healthcare in medium- to high-income cities.
Birth Injury
Each year, 50,000 women in the United States suffer from a childbirth injury [10].
A birth injury can lead to Cerebral Palsy cases. Medical professionals who fail to take prompt care during labor and delivery may be to blame when a child later develops Cerebral Palsy. The March of Dimes rates individual states based on maternal and infant health. They gave the state of Illinois a D+ for 2023 based on a high occurrence of preterm birth rates [4].
Winnebago County reported the highest rate of preterm births in Illinois. While improving year over year, Chicago reported a 10.5% preterm birth rate [4].
One of the most common birth injuries leading to a child’s Cerebral Palsy includes a lack of oxygen. It takes more than four minutes for the human brain to suffer damage from oxygen deprivation. The umbilical cord can wrap around the baby’s neck, or the placenta can detach prematurely, both of which are conditions that require prompt medical treatment.
Additionally, the use of specific labor and delivery tools during childbirth can increase the risk of children with Cerebral Palsy. Many labor and delivery physicians use forceps, which can put too much pressure on the baby’s not fully developed brain, leading to brain damage.
Multiple Birth Pregnancies
Research also shows that women who give birth to multiples at one time have a higher risk of having children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. A European population-based study found that having twins or higher-order multiples increased the risk of children with CP [11].
Pregnancy Health
The health of the mother during pregnancy can also influence the risk of giving birth to children with Cerebral Palsy. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth by 15.5%. Hypertension increases the risk of premature birth by 23.7% [4].
Other contributing factors during pregnancy include the mother being of an unhealthy weight, Diabetes, having a previous preterm birth, and carrying multiples.
While many pregnancy factors of a preterm birth rely on the mother to eat healthy, stay active, and receive ongoing medical care, liability may also fall onto the medical team. A woman’s OBGYN monitors her health and takes prompt action when possible. Failing to do so could increase the risk of preterm labor and, as a result, Cerebral Palsy.
As many as half of Cerebral Palsy cases are preventable. A study of birth records from multiple hospitals around the United States found that some of the most common causes of medical negligence included failing to treat the mother for high blood pressure conditions and failing to quantify women’s blood loss during labor and delivery [12].
Failing to identify maternal infections or monitor maternal health in general is one of the highest CP risk factors in babies born with CP. Chorioamnionitis has been shown to increase the risk of a child born with Cerebral Palsy [13].
Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy
Historically, children don’t receive a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis until between two and three years of age. However, there are more developmental disabilities monitoring tests that can help parents identify high-risk children far before this. Pediatric neurology experts can also help speed up the timeline to diagnosis.
Parents with a child newly diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy may struggle with identifying a cause and determining blame. Some parents may be falsely advised that it’s not possible to identify a cause. However, specific events that take place during labor and delivery are common causes of developmental disabilities, including Cerebral Palsy. A lack of oxygen, trauma to the head, or untreated infections are all common risk factors for developing Cerebral Palsy.
Most commonly, children with Cerebral Palsy fail to meet developmental milestones, which leads to their parents seeking medical care. A physician may order a neurological exam or imaging to review the developing brain. Based on these results, they may diagnose the child with Cerebral Palsy.
The most common type of Cerebral Palsy among children is spastic Cerebral Palsy. Spastic Cerebral Palsy means two spastic movements of the arms or legs. Quad Cerebral Palsy may include spastic movements of all four limbs. Other forms of Cerebral Palsy may include Spastic Double or Spastic Half [3].
Clinical research on Cerebral Palsy is ongoing. The Cerebral Palsy Research Network is actively working on learning more about CP, including its genetic contributions and treatment availability. The Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network also helps experts better understand brain injuries, such as Autism and developmental disabilities. This ongoing research will help provide more developmental medicine opportunities and reduce overall cases of Cerebral Palsy statistics worldwide.
Co-Occurring Injuries With Cerebral Palsy
Other developmental disabilities may also accompany Cerebral Palsy. A common co-occurring disability is epilepsy [6].
Other commonly co-occurring disorders with Cerebral Palsy include vision impairment, hearing loss, learning disabilities, or intellectual disability. Some children with spastic Cerebral Palsy may also experience respiratory problems or bowel/bladder issues.
Of course, many of the same risk factors involved with Cerebral Palsy can also lead to other child neurology conditions. However, when a child’s Cerebral Palsy is caused by medical negligence, this may also be the cause of a common co-occurring condition.
Life with Cerebral Palsy
Most parents may wonder what the future holds for a child with Cerebral Palsy.
Cerebral Palsy is a lifelong condition. Treatment options and Cerebral Palsy costs depend on factors like a child’s age at diagnosis, overall health, and type of CP [3]. Many children with Cerebral Palsy will require ongoing developmental disabilities monitoring, which can be costly and timely.
Parents who believe a medical error brought on their child’s Cerebral Palsy should consider talking with a lawyer. A birth injury lawsuit can help parents recover the incurred and expected medical costs. It can also provide them with the financial compensation they need to ensure children with Cerebral Palsy have access to the right resources.
Moving On After a Birth Injury and Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
These Cerebral Palsy statistics show a common problem with the United States healthcare system. Failing to monitor a woman during pregnancy and labor can lead to children with Cerebral Palsy.
Parents of children with Cerebral Palsy often have few options. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is here to help investigate your case. Brain damage is far too common during labor and delivery, and our legal team is here to help you navigate your case.
Resources: [1] MAYO Clinic, [2] American Pregnancy Association, [3] Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, [4] March of Dimes, [5] Journal of Neuroscience Research, [6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [7] Illinois Department of Public Health, [8] CDC National Health Center for Health Statistics, [9] National Library of Medicine, [10] USA Today, [11] BMJ Journals, [12] USA Today, [13] National Library of Medicine