If your child was recently diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP), and you feel confused or overwhelmed, you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CP is the most common motor disability in children.
Support is available for children with CP and their families. Read on to explore tips for raising a child with CP and how Fieger Law can help you recover compensation for your child’s medical treatment.
- Talk to Medical Professionals
Because CP often results in overly loose or tight muscles, children with the condition may develop poor posture and have difficulty walking independently. Tight muscles or nerve problems associated with the condition can cause significant pain. Additionally, CP often co-occurs with other medical issues or disabilities, like scoliosis, hearing or vision disabilities, epilepsy, and intellectual disability.
Medical professionals are familiar with these challenges and can help you find treatment for your child. For example, your pediatrician can provide referrals to a pediatric orthopedist who can help correct your child’s skeletal problems. They may also screen your child for specific medical conditions or provide mobility aids so that your child can walk independently.
Unfortunately, getting the necessary care for a child with CP can be expensive. If you’re struggling to afford your child’s care, consult with Fieger Law to discover how you can receive a settlement to provide your child’s treatment if you believe your child’s CP was a result of medical negligence during delivery.
- Seek Occupational Therapies
Occupational therapy helps children with CP build skills, strength, and strategies that can benefit their quality of life. A wide variety of occupational therapies are available, depending on your child’s needs.
For example, an occupational therapist may help your child strengthen their muscles and practice their motor control, while a speech therapist may teach them strategies to improve their speech clarity.
Finding an affordable occupational therapist can be challenging. If you’re struggling to pay for your child’s occupational therapy, contact Fieger Law. We can review your medical records to determine if a negligent doctor caused your child’s CP and help you file a malpractice claim to receive a settlement.
- Find State-Sponsored Services
The state of Michigan provides various services and support for people with disabilities, including CP. These programs can help you find low-cost assistance for your child. For example, Michigan’s Early On program provides early intervention services for children up to three years old, which is considered a critical period of brain development.
Older children can receive support through their local public schools. Federal law requires that all public schools offer services to students with disabilities, including occupational and speech therapy, special education services, and extended school year services that help them receive support year-round.
Though these programs can support your child, they can vary significantly in quality. Some parents choose to use private services or enroll their children in a school for children with disabilities to ensure they receive higher-quality or specialized care. However, these services are often far more costly.
If you want to explore private education services for your child after a birth injury-related cerebral palsy diagnosis, consult with Fieger Law. Our attorneys can help you recover money for your child’s condition that you can use to pay for private education and care that focuses on their needs.
- Look for Support Groups
It’s common for children with CP to reach developmental milestones more slowly and experience challenges that their similarly aged peers do not. If you lack understanding and support from those around you, parenting may feel lonely or frustrating.
If you need emotional support, you may benefit from support groups for other parents of children with CP. Many parents in these groups can relate to your and your child’s challenges and offer advice or resources.
Finding a CP support group can feel overwhelming, and you may need help finding the right resources. The cerebral palsy birth injury lawyers with Fieger law can help direct you toward support group resources. We are familiar with the challenges parents of kids with CP face and have supported many parents in CP claims.
- Get a Lawyer Involved
Raising a child with a disability like CP is even more expensive than raising a non-disabled child. A 2019 study on Medicaid claims found that caring for a child with CP costs around $22,383 per year versus $1,358 for a child without the condition. For non-ambulatory CP, the cost was higher, around $43,687 per year.
Finding the money to pay for your child’s CP treatment can be challenging and overwhelming. A skilled attorney can help you recover financial compensation on behalf of your child when their condition is the result of medical negligence.
The CP injury lawyers at Fieger Law are familiar with the services and resources your child may need throughout their life and can negotiate compensation accordingly. We also know what signs to look for to determine if your doctor or hospital staff may have caused your child’s injuries. Signs of negligence can include not providing adequate treatment during labor or failing to diagnose and treat illness that could harm the baby during the mother’s pregnancy.
Fieger Law provides legal services to parents of kids with CP all over the United States. If we determine your child’s CP was caused by medical negligence, we can help you pursue a settlement claim to hold the practitioner responsible for their actions. Contact our law firm to discover how much compensation you could receive.
Consult with Fieger Law Today
Every parent wants to provide the best they can for their child. The attorneys at Fieger Law understand that you want to help your child, but you may need help knowing where to start or lack the financial resources to do so. We can help you discover support resources and obtain a fair settlement to pay for your child’s life-long care.
Our attorneys have extensive experience negotiating CP claims. We want the best for you and your child and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your child’s circumstances and learn how we can help you secure the compensation they need to improve their quality of life.
