Deafness and cerebral palsy (CP) are separate conditions that pose individual challenges when they co-occur in a child, which they often do. Managing both conditions simultaneously can involve expensive medical care and rehabilitation services, potentially extending over a child’s lifetime.

For parents of a child with cerebral palsy (CP) and hearing impairment, understanding your rights and available support options is essential. This becomes particularly important if your child’s conditions are a result of medical negligence.

If you suspect that your child’s cerebral palsy or deafness is a result of a medical provider’s actions, our birth injury lawyers at Wagner Reese can guide you through your legal options. We can help you seek compensation for your child’s long-term care and address the impact on their quality of life.

The Connection Between Cerebral Palsy and Deafness

Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders that affect an individual’s ability to control their muscles and movement. Approximately 1 in 345 children in the U.S. has cerebral palsy, which can result from brain damage that occurs before, during, or shortly after birth.

About 1.1 to 3.5 in 1,000 infants are born with hearing loss in the U.S. Deafness can be caused by genetic factors, infections, or exposure to certain medications during pregnancy.

These two conditions frequently occur together. Between 10% and 20% of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) also experience hearing impairment, indicating that these conditions may have shared developmental origins or causes.

For example, if a healthcare provider does not adequately treat an infection like cytomegalovirus (a flu-like virus) during pregnancy, it could result in birth injuries like cerebral palsy (CP) and deafness. This situation often leads to higher medical costs and the need for supportive devices such as hearing aids or a wheelchair for your child.

Signs of Cerebral Palsy and Deafness

Understanding the signs of cerebral palsy and deafness is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention. The following chart outlines symptoms of CP and deafness to help you identify if your child may have one or both of these conditions.

Timely treatment can improve your child’s quality of life and make it easy to connect the diagnosis to poor medical care during childbirth for a possible cerebral palsy lawsuit.

 

Child’s Age Symptoms of CP Symptoms of Deafness
Infant

(0-1 year)
  • Difficulty with head control
  • Delayed developmental milestones
  • Muscle stiffness or floppiness
  • Feeding difficulties
  • Seizures
  • Lack of response to sounds
  • Limited or absent babbling
  • Lack of startle response
  • Failure to turn toward sound
Toddler (1-3 years)
  • Difficulty crawling or walking
  • Persistent hand preference
  • Muscle spasms or involuntary movements
  • Difficulty with fine motor skills
  • Challenges with balance and coordination
  • Limited or no speech development
  • Difficulty following directions
Children (3-5 years)
  • Trouble with speech and language
  • Poor muscle control and coordination
  • Difficulty with potty training
  • Intellectual and learning disabilities
  • Struggles with language development
  • Difficulty hearing conversations
  • Limited social interactions
  • Frequent mispronunciations

 

Can You Receive Compensation for Your Child’s Condition?

Birth injuries often result from medical negligence and can lead to a range of lifelong disabilities, including CP and hearing impairments. If your child’s health issues are due to a birth injury, you can seek compensation to provide support for your child’s current and future needs, such as:

  • Doctor’s bills and hospital stays
  • Ongoing therapy costs
  • Special education needs
  • Adaptive equipment
  • Lost future earnings
  • Pain and suffering

To secure a settlement, you must demonstrate that the medical provider’s actions led to your child’s injuries. Examples of negligent medical care can encompass:

  • Misuse of forceps/vacuum: Incorrect application of forceps or vacuum extractors during delivery can cause direct physical harm to the baby’s head, leading to CP or brain injury.
  • Delayed C-section: Failing to perform a cesarean section in a timely manner when the baby shows signs of distress can lead to oxygen deprivation, resulting in conditions like CP or hearing loss.
  • Inadequate monitoring: Failure to adequately monitor the baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels during labor can miss critical signs of distress, increasing the risk of brain injury.
  • Medication mismanagement: Improper use of labor-inducing drugs like Pitocin can lead to excessively strong contractions. This can cause oxygen deprivation or physical trauma to the baby.
  • Ignoring maternal health issues: Improperly addressing maternal health problems such as infections, hypertension, or diabetes during pregnancy can lead to premature birth or other complications, increasing the risk of developmental disorders in the baby.

Know Your Legal Options After a Birth Injury

If you’re uncertain whether your child’s CP or deafness stems from a birth injury, speak with our knowledgeable attorneys at Wagner Reese. We are experienced in medical negligence cases and can review your claim to determine if a medical provider is responsible for your child’s injuries.

Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll listen to your case, advise you on your legal options, and help you initiate a claim to get compensation for your child’s lifelong care.