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Hemiplegia is a form of cerebral palsy which affects only one side of the body. Caused by trauma or infection to one hemisphere of the brain, this condition is usually not noticeable until after a few weeks or months of a baby’s birth. Cerebral palsy used to be thought of as a freak occurrence and bad luck; however, over the last few decades, it has been shown that it is caused by human negligence, making it possible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Hemiplegia can be caused by the following:

• Prenatal or postnatal infections causing encephalitis, meningitis and other serious brain diseases, all of which can kill off vital brain cells.
• The use of forceps and vacuum pumps during delivery can lead to head trauma and bleeding in the baby’s brain.
• Extracorporeal oxygenation, where a baby’s lungs and heart are given some help to function for a few weeks to some months if they were born with underdeveloped organs. This procedure can cause blood clots which can then travel to the brain, leading to brain cell death.

Signs of Hemiplegia

Hemiplegia is pretty apparent if you a keen parent. Since only one side of the body is affected, you will notice muscle tone differences between either sides of the baby’s body; one side will be tense, and the other, flaccid. In addition, the baby may ball up one hand into a fist periodically, and they may not crawl or walk as normal, preferring to hoist themselves up using a nearby chair leg or stool. Since muscles are required for movement, your child may have a hard time reaching developmental milestones when compared to their peers. Lastly, children with hemiplegia may have poor motor skills and have problems seeing out of one eye or ear.

Cerebral Palsy Legal Help – Call Us Today!

Hemiplegia can be prevented if doctors follow a set standard of care and work hard at mitigating any emergencies that may happen before, during and after birth. We know what you probably have many legal questions, so please give us a call for your free consultation today on 877-561-3004. Thanks, and we look forward to serving you.