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CDC Reports the Expected Lifetime Cost of Cerebral Palsy is $1 Million
Little can prepare a parent for the news that their child suffers from a disability like cerebral palsy. In addition to the grief, shock, and anger a parent may understandably feel, they must also contend with the massive financial impact the disability can cause. In one study, it was estimated that the costs associated with a cerebral palsy diagnosis total approximately $1 million. If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy caused by substandard medical care, it is important to know your options for seeking restitution.
Medical and Educational Expenses for a Child with Cerebral Palsy
A 2004 study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated the direct and indirect costs of a child developing cerebral palsy. The study was, and still is, one of the most comprehensive evaluations of its kind. Researchers found that the average lifetime cost of cerebral palsy per person totaled approximately $921,000 in 2003 dollars. Adjusted for inflation, that equates to $1,326,128 in 2021. It is important to note that this estimate does not include the financial losses suffered by caregivers due to lost income and productivity and other out-of-pocket expenses.
What Birth Injuries May Be Caused by a Delayed C-Section?
Approximately 30 percent of babies born in the United States are born via cesarean section or C-section. Some mothers plan a C-section in advance for personal reasons or health concerns. Others are forced to deliver their baby through an emergency C-section because medical complications make a vaginal birth too dangerous. One of the most crucial responsibilities obstetricians and other medical staff have is to recognize when unplanned or emergency C-sections are needed to protect the health of the mother or the baby. Delayed C-sections or proceeding with vaginal birth when a C-section is safer can lead to preventable birth injuries.
Failure to Provide a Timely C-Section
Like all doctors, obstetricians have a legal obligation to provide reasonably skilled medical treatment to expectant mothers. This includes carefully weighing the risks associated with vaginal birth versus cesarean delivery on a case-by-case basis. A mother may require an emergency C-section if labor is prolonged, the baby is in a breech position, problems with the umbilical cord or placenta cuts off the baby’s blood supply, or other medical complications arise. If a mother requires an emergency C-section, the procedure must be carried out quickly. If a doctor waits too long to perform a C-section or fails to perform a necessary C-section, the baby or the mother could be left with lasting injuries.
What Types of Injuries Can Occur During a C-Section Delivery?
Births take place every day in hospitals throughout the United States, and doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel are trained and equipped to address complications and perform procedures to ensure that children are delivered safely. Cesarean deliveries are commonly performed if there are problems that would make a vaginal delivery unsafe, and in some cases, emergency C-sections are necessary to prevent birth injuries to children. Since a C-section is a surgical procedure, there are a variety of complications that can occur, and in addition to issues that may affect the health of a child, there is also a risk of life-threatening maternal injuries.
Injuries to Infants in a Cesarean Delivery
While C-sections can usually be performed without putting a child at risk, some injuries may still occur. The most common injuries involve lacerations in which a child is cut by surgical tools during the procedure. While these types of injuries are usually minor, in some cases, they could lead to serious blood loss or nerve damage. If children are delivered before 39 weeks, they are at higher risk of injuries such as broken bones, skull fractures, or brachial plexus injuries. Following a C-section, some newborns will experience breathing issues or excessive fluid in the lungs.
Are Pregnant Women at Higher Risk of Death During the COVID-19 Crisis?
For the past year, people throughout the United States have been concerned about the risks of COVID-19, and as the virus continues to affect everyone’s daily lives, most people are taking precautions to minimize the risks of infection. Those who do become infected may be able to receive the treatment necessary to recover, but the chances of death continue to be high. This is a major concern for pregnant mothers since they will want to protect their child’s health in addition to their own. Unfortunately, the rate of maternal death in the United States, which is already significantly higher than in other industrialized countries, has become even higher for mothers who have been infected with COVID-19.
Additional Risks for Pregnant Mothers
Multiple studies have looked at the rates of severe illness, hospitalization, and death among pregnant women with COVID-19, finding that these women are at an increased risk of serious complications. Pregnant women are 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized, and they are also much more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit or require interventions such as invasive ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In addition, a study found that the maternal mortality rate for women with COVID-19 infections was 1,250 deaths out of 100,000 pregnancies. This rate is 13.6 times higher than the mortality rate for non-pregnant adults of a similar age.
What Is Sepsis, and How Can it Affect a Mother or Child During Birth?
During pregnancy, labor, and delivery, there are a variety of health issues that can affect both mothers and children. One major concern is the possibility of contracting infectious diseases. Viruses or bacteria may be transferred from a mother to a child during pregnancy, or pediatric infections or maternal infections may occur if the proper sterilization procedures are not followed during delivery. While infections can be dangerous enough on their own, they may also result in sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition that can affect a person’s long-term health.
Symptoms and Complications of Sepsis
In some cases, infections are localized in one part of the body. However, when an infection spreads throughout the body or bloodstream, or if it infects one or more major organs, this may trigger an immune response that can cause additional complications. The chemicals released by the body to combat infections can lead to the inflammation of the body’s tissues. In serious cases, a person may experience septic shock, in which their blood pressure may drop to dangerously low levels, and they may suffer permanent damage to organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain.
How Can Cerebral Palsy Cause Sleep Issues for Children?
Sleep is an important part of everyone’s life. Those who struggle with problems that make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep will not only have trouble getting enough rest, but their overall health may also be affected. Unfortunately, cerebral palsy can often lead to a variety of sleep issues for children. Parents will want to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect children’s health while allowing them to live happy and fulfilling lives. By understanding the factors that may lead to sleep problems, they can determine the best ways to help children get the rest they need while also addressing any related issues that may affect their physical or mental health.
Causes of Sleep Deficiency for Children With Cerebral Palsy
Sleep deficiency may involve multiple different types of disruptions in a child’s normal sleep patterns, including resistance to going to sleep, waking up during the night or in the early morning, and being unable to fall asleep without assistance. Sleep deficiency can have a variety of negative effects, including behavioral problems, mood disorders such as depression, cognitive impairments, decreased performance in school, and physical health problems such as obesity or sensory processing issues.
How Can Meconium Aspiration Lead to Birth Injuries?
The first stool that a child passes is known as meconium. This fecal matter is usually thick and sticky, and while it is usually passed after the child is born, there are some cases where it may be passed either before or during labor. When this occurs, the child may be at risk of meconium aspiration, in which the fecal matter is breathed into his or her lungs. This can lead to serious birth injuries that may affect a child’s health and well-being both immediately after birth and in the years to come.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
When meconium is breathed into the lungs, it can block the airways, or it may coat the air sacs in the lungs, affecting the child’s ability to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream. This can lead to asphyxia, and if the oxygen supply to the child’s brain is interrupted, he or she may experience brain damage and conditions such as cerebral palsy. Blocked airways can also cause the child’s lungs to overexpand and rupture or collapse. Meconium aspiration may also lead to infections that can have a variety of long-term effects.
What Is Erb’s Palsy, and How Can it Be Caused by Birth Injuries?
There are a wide variety of complications that can occur during a child’s birth, and if these are not addressed correctly, children may suffer birth injuries. Depending on the type and severity of an injury, a child may require extensive medical treatment or may even suffer permanent disabilities. Erb’s palsy, which is a condition that affects a person’s arms and shoulders, can result from complications during delivery. When a child suffers from this type of injury, parents will want to understand how they can provide the necessary treatment throughout the child’s lifetime.
Causes and Effects of Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy may occur due to injuries to the brachial plexus during a child’s delivery. The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that carry signals from the brain and spinal cord to the shoulders, arms, and hands. These nerves may be injured if shoulder dystocia occurs during birth, especially in cases where too much force is placed on a child’s head, neck, or shoulders. Improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction can lead to nerve damage, and a child may also experience injuries to the brachial plexus during a Cesarean delivery.
Is Cerebral Palsy More Likely to Affect Black Children?
There are multiple different types of complications that can affect both mothers and children during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Cerebral palsy is one of the most serious issues that can occur because of birth injuries, and this condition can affect all types of children and families. However, some studies have revealed troubling statistics that indicate that cerebral palsy is more prevalent among Black children than white children. Because of these racial disparities, Black parents of children with cerebral palsy will want to understand the potential causes of their children’s condition and the steps they can take to provide for their children’s needs.
Possible Reasons for Racial Disparities in Children With Cerebral Palsy
The key study that found these racial disparities was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and it looked at children in a geographical area who had been diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy that resulted because of brain injuries that occurred before or during a child’s birth. While the study found that the overall prevalence of cerebral palsy had not changed over time, Black children born at normal birth weight and at full term were more likely to experience cerebral palsy than white children in the same circumstances. Notably, the study found that Black and white children with a very low birth rate were equally likely to experience cerebral palsy. However, racial disparities play a role in these cases as well, since other studies have found that Black children are nearly twice as likely as white children to be born with low birth weight.
How Can Chorioamnionitis Infections Lead to Birth Injuries?
There are many different types of complications that can arise during labor and delivery, and if they are not addressed properly, they can affect the health of both the child and the mother. Infections are one common concern, and in addition to taking steps to ensure that a child does not become infected by bacteria or viruses during delivery, doctors and nurses should also address maternal infections, since they may lead to birth injuries to children or maternal birth injuries. Chorioamnionitis is one type of dangerous condition that can sometimes occur, and it involves a bacterial infection of the amniotic fluid and the membranes inside the uterus.
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