Below you will find a brief overview of the statistics regarding the number of people who have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy in the United States. You will also find information regarding the number of children who are born with this condition on an annual basis. Finally, you will find a brief synopsis of some of the risk factors for cerebral palsy that have been discovered. Anyone whose child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and who feels that this diagnosis was the result of a mistake made during the child’s birth needs the help of New York medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible.
United States Cerebral Palsy Statistics
According to statistics that have been released by United Cerebral Palsy, a non-profit organization designed to provide assistance to those who struggle with this condition, approximately 764,000 children and adults in the United States manifest at least one or more symptoms relating to cerebral palsy. This is only an estimate because there are people out there who have not yet been diagnosed and others who will not be diagnosed.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC, approximately 10,000 children are born in the United States every year who will eventually develop and be diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Finally, the CDC has also found that males are more likely to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy than females, with the ratio being 1.4 to 1.
Cerebral Palsy Risk Factors
In recent years, the medical world has been able to identify certain risk factors that, if present and not handled properly by those who are in a position to deal with risk factors that can be averted, will lead to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Of course, there are other risk factors that exist that cannot be avoided regardless of the quality of medical care that is provided.
These risk factors include premature birth, low birth weight, genetic anomalies, and a lack of oxygen moving to the child’s brain during birth. Some of these factors can be prevented if the medical professionals overseeing these births handle them promptly and properly. Unfortunately, that is not always what occurs.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you believe it was the result of a mistake made by the medical professionals overseeing the child’s birth, you need to seek the help of New York medical malpractice lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of families for more than 40 years. Contact The Fitzgerald Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.