New Treatments and Research Cerebral Palsy

Although there is no cure for cerebral palsy, there are new treatments being developed and there are cerebral palsy research programs in progress that are leading to new discoveries of causes and the prevention of this condition.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy requires the patient to sit in a pressurized hyperbaric chamber while they receive pure oxygen at a regulated pressure. The oxygen permeates the body’s fluids and tissues resulting in:

• Breathing improvement
• Inflammation and swelling reduction
• New blood vessel development
• Toxin neutralization
• Stronger immune system

The duration of each session is 60 to 90 minutes. There may be multiple sessions in one day and the treatments usually occur over the course of many weeks.

Botox injections can be for more than erasing wrinkles. It has been found that this controversial treatment can reduce the muscle spasticity in cerebral palsy patients. The injected toxin works by obstructing the sending of nerve impulses to the muscle. Other benefits are:

• More relaxed muscles
• Range of motion improvement
• Potential reduction of leg-scissoring

As this treatment has not yet been approved by the FDA, it is given by some doctors as an "off-label" therapy. Physical therapy is combined with Botox treatment to strengthen the patient’s muscles.

Note: Please check with your medical professional before considering any of these unorthodox treatments. Your doctors will have more information and will know what treatments would most benefit your child.

Magnesium sulphate has been shown to reduce the risk of preterm babies developing cerebral palsy. Administering magnesium sulphate to a pregnant woman, in order to delay labor, has been a common practice for some time. The results of a recent study claim that there is a 30% less chance of the risk of cerebral palsy in preterm babies if their mothers had received this treatment. As one third of all cerebral palsy cases stem from preterm births, use of this treatment could reduce the number of cases.

Screening for blood clots in the placenta may reveal the appearance of blood clots in a fetus’s brain. Blood clots in the fetal brain can cause the strokes that can cause cerebral palsy. Research is being conducted now to determine if it is possible to predict and then prevent the occurrence of cerebral palsy through screening the placenta for blood clots.

Contact our Law Firm

If your child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, there’s a chance it was the result of medical malpractice. Only a skilled and experienced Cerebral palsy attorney can investigate your child’s case and help determine the cause and pursue compensation.

The Law Firm of Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald, P.C., has represented hundreds of cerebral palsy cases throughout the U.S., from New York, to Atlanta, and Nebraska, to Texas, Nevada and California. Our cerebral palsy and medical malpractice lawyers are compassionate, understanding, and dedicated to obtain the most favorable outcome for our clients.

Contact The Law Firm of Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald, P.C, for your free initial consultation with a medical malpractice lawyer. We will discuss your cerebral palsy case and provide with proficient legal advice.