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Mixed cerebral palsy: symptoms and treatments

On Behalf of | Oct 10, 2019 | Birth Injuries

There are various types of cerebral palsy, including spastic, athetoid and ataxic CP. However, residents of Texas should be aware that some patients exhibit symptoms that are common to all of these types, in which case they have what medical specialists call mixed cerebral palsy. Approximately 10% of CP patients have this condition.

It’s clear that cerebral palsy is mixed when it’s a combination of at least two types of CP. Most cases of mixed CP are a combination of spastic and athetoid CP whereas the least common combine ataxic and athetoid CP. Spastic CP is characterized by muscle stiffness, and athetoid CP usually manifests itself in involuntary movements, including jerking, twisting and slow writhing. Mixed CP patients may also experience difficulty speaking and swallowing, especially when agitated.

The No. 1 cause of mixed CP is brain damage. Abnormal brain development may account for it as well. For these reasons, mixed CP is frequently seen in infants. There is no cure for mixed CP, but certain therapies can help control the symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life.

These therapies include physical therapy and speech therapy. The former may involve strength training and flexibility exercises while incorporating mobility aids. To help patients with everyday tasks, doctors may set up occupational therapy. Medications can be used to ease pain and discomfort.

Many birth injuries arise through the negligence of doctors and nurses. When parents believe that their child was the victim of such negligence, they may want to have the case evaluated by a lawyer. A successful medical malpractice claim could cover economic and non-economic damages like past and future medical expenses and emotional trauma, and there is a good chance of the settlement being high. Because of this, there will likely be greater opposition, but the lawyer may face all of this head-on.

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