>>MORE INFORMATION: Cerebral Palsy Treatment Options

Researchers at a number of institutions, including Harvard and the University of Iowa, indicate that they have found patients with cerebral palsy find the apps to be more engaging than traditional therapy, which can involve a lot of repetition that children quickly find boring. However, the apps provide exciting and interesting visuals, instant feedback and can also take very accurate response-time measurements that therapists often cannot. In many cases, they appear to work better and faster than more traditional means of therapy for cerebral palsy.

Some applications are focused on increasing wrist and arm movement in cerebral palsy children, some help developmentally delayed children communicate by helping them create sentences using pictures, and others help those on the autism spectrum identify emotions, feelings and needs and communicate them to those around them.

While some of the apps are free, others can cost nearly $200. However, that is far less than non-multitouch technology therapy programs on more traditional computers, which can cost between $4,000 and $7,000.

Researchers indicate that there have been few studies on the actual effectiveness of the programs, and many of the developers are relying on those using the apps to help them determine how beneficial and widespread their use will be.

Cerebral palsy can be caused by a brain injury that occurs before, during or shortly after birth. If the brain of a baby is deprived of oxygen, it can result in irreversible damage that leaves the child with developmental problems, loss of motor functions and other life-long injuries and disabilities associated with cerebral palsy.

Although cerebral palsy can occur without a medical mistake, when the exercise of the proper standards of medical care could have prevented the child’s brain from being deprived of oxygen, the cerebral palsy lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. may be able to obtain compensation for the child through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

To find out what legal options may be available and to review a potential cerebral palsy malpractice lawsuit with one of our attorneys, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

>>MORE INFORMATION: Depakote Spina Bifida Side Effects

Abbott Laboratories began marketing Depakote in the United States in 1978. Although it appears that the drug maker should have discovered the risk of birth defects from Depakote before or shortly after the drug was introduced, they sold the drug for years without adequate warnings about the risks associated with use during pregnancy. In addition, even after medical studies began to come out in the 1990s, the warnings provided for women and the medical community continued to be vague and confusing.

Side effects of Depakote use while pregnant have been linked to an increased risk of major congenital malformations or birth defects, especially when the anti-epileptic medication is used during the first few weeks of pregnancy, a time when many women do not even know they are pregnant. Depakote has been linked to a number of problems for unborn children, including:

• Spina Bifida
• Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip
• Cranial defects
• Limb Malformations
• Heart Defects
• Urinary Problems
• Developmental Delays

A study released in 1995 suggested that the risk of Depakote neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, were ten time higher than with other antiepileptic medications available to prevent seizures. Another study determined that 11% of all infants whose mothers took Depakote early in pregnancy were born with birth defects.

Although safer alternatives were available for pregnant women or women who could become pregnant, Abbott has failed to adequately warn about the risk of birth defects and has attempted to downplay the side effects for unborn children. Even after warnings were added to the medication’s label, Abbott used confusing and understated language to suggest that women should weigh the potential risk, rather than adequately warning about the severity of the problems so that women could understand the true nature and extent of the risk.

LAWSUITS FOR PROBLEMS FROM DEPAKOTE PREGNANCY USE

The Depakote birth defect lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential lawsuits for children born with health problems that may have been caused by the mother’s use of the medication during pregnancy. If adequate warnings and information about the risk of Depakote pregnancy side effects for babies had been provided, many women would have avoided use of the medication or taken steps to ensure that they did not become pregnant on Depakote.

To review whether your child or family member may be entitled to compensation through a Depakote lawsuit, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

Recent research highlights the risk of birth defects from Depakote, finding that exposure to sodium valproate, which is contained in the medication, more than double the risk for major congenital malformations in the fetus when compared with other epilepsy drugs.

Reports of Depakote birth defects have been found when the medication is taken as early as the first trimester. Unfortunately, many women were provided with inadequate warnings about the risk of birth defects from Depakote. Lawsuits are being reviewed to pursue compensation from the drug makers for failing to take adequate steps to ensure women who are pregnant or may become pregnant while taking Depakote were aware of the risk of birth defects.

Research presented last week at the 9th European Congress on Epileptology underscores the importance of providing proper warnings, as other epilepsy drugs do not appear to carry the same risk. When compared to use of Tegretol (carbamazepine) and Lamictal (lamotrigine) by pregnant women, the risk of birth defects from Depakote was found to be substantially higher.

LAWSUITS FOR DEPAKOTE BIRTH DEFECTS

Free consultations and claim evaluations are being provided by the Depakote lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. to help determine if compensation may be available for children born with birth defects or other malformations after use of the medication during pregnancy. Potential lawsuits over birth defects from Depakote are being reviewed for:

• Spina Bifida
• Cleft Palate
• Abnormal Skull Formation
• Malformed Limbs and Extra Toes/Fingers
• Urinary Problems
• Heart Problems
• Mental Disabilities

To review a potential case for yourself, a friend or family member, request a free consultation and claim evaluation with a lawyer for Depakote.

>>MORE INFORMATION: Cerebral Palsy From Birth Injury

According to a recent study published in the medical journal Cell Transplantation, there appears to be additional support that olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) can repair central nervous system damage linked to a number of disorders, including cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. Chinese researchers injected the brain cells into children with cerebral palsy and found significant increases in their gross motor abilities.

Cerebral palsy is a serious condition which is a life-long disability, associated with developmental problems, loss of motor functions, seizures, sensory impairments and cognitive limitations. While there is no cure for the brain damage once it occurs, this could lead to an important cerebral palsy treatment option to help a child with CP lead a more productive and independent life.

Researchers conducted clinical trials on 33 volunteers, 14 of whom completed the six-month study. They transplanted OECs into the frontal lobe of children with cerebral palsy and measured both changes in gross motor function measure and observations by caregivers. Video records were also taken of the patients on a scheduled basis. The Chinese researchers used donated cells from aborted fetuses, however the OECs could be obtained from a number of different sources.

The researchers found that the children had increased motor control and caregivers reported significant improvements over a period of six months following the implantation of the OECs. They also found that none of the children who received the implants suffered any apparent side effects.

“The key point of cell transplantation should be of great importance in approaching the functional neurorestoration,” researchers concluded. “In combination with other treatments such as drugs, growth factors, and genetic therapies, our method should help significantly in approaching an effective cure of CP.”

CONSULT WITH A CEREBRAL PALSY LAWYER

In some cases cerebral palsy is caused by medical malpractice at the time of birth, which may entitle the child to compensation and benefits. The cerebral palsy lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. investigate potential birth injury claims for families of children with cerebral palsy throughout the United States. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained for the child. To review a potential claim with our attorneys, request a free cerebral palsy claim evaluation.

The medical malpractice lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. investigate potential hospital infection lawsuits throughout the United States for individuals injured by these largely preventable conditions.

MRSA, known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a difficult-to-treat infection in humans because it is resistant to a large group of antibiotics. In hospitals, where patients with a weakened immune system are at greater risk of infection than the general public, medical staff have a duty to follow proper sanitary procedures to reduce the risk of transferring the bacteria from patient to patient.

This month’s issue of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal contains a study on infant infection rates at hospital NICU (neonatal intensive care units) across the country. Since 1994, there has been a sharp increase in the rate of infant hospital infections, including a tripling of the number of MRSA infant infections.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at data from the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system from 1995 through 2004. The data included 5.9 million patient-days of information. Analysis of the data found that the rate of late-onset MRSA infections increased from 0.7 percent in 1995 to 3.1 percent in 2004. That represents an increase of 308%. MRSA infections represented 23% of all infant NICU staph infections.

The study focused primarily on late-onset infections. These infections do not occur during the first three days after delivery, which can be attributed to transmission during labor and delivery. Instead, these infections are likely passed on to children from parents, hospital workers and other contacts with people and things during a hospital stay before release. The study found that most of the MRSA strains found in NICU infants were from strains mostly associated with hospital-acquired infections.

Because of the special nature of NICUs and the differences between infant and adult health care, the study’s researchers said new strategies may need to be developed in order to protect infants from hospital infections. CDC researchers concluded that the study indicates “a need to reinforce infection control recommendations and to explore potential sources and routes of transmission.”

HOSPITAL INFECTION LAWYERS

There are more than 2 million hospital infections acquired each year, resulting in about 90,000 deaths annually. Another 1.5 million long term care and nursing home infections occur every year. Infections can also lead to chronic health conditions and permanent physical damage, including potential amputation of limbs to prevent the spread of the infection.

Experts suggest that when hospitals follow certain steps and protocols, the infection rate at a particular facility can be negligible. These protocols include frequent washing of hands, instruments and patient rooms. In addition, screening for latent infections in incoming patients can allow staff to take steps to prevent other hospital patients from becoming infected.

If your child or a family member has suffered from a hospital MRSA infection which resulted in serious injury or death, potential compensation may be available through a hospital malpractice lawsuit if staff failed to follow proper precautions to reduce the risk of infection. To review a potential claim with our hospital infection lawyers, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

A new report by the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, The 0.6 Percent Bogeyman highlights how efforts to further “reform” the tort system should really be spent on improving the quality of care to reduce the number of preventable medical mistakes.

While the payments and frequency of medical malpractice lawsuits have plummeted, Public Citizen points out that there has been no actual measurable increase in medical safety. The report demonstrates that the financial impact of medical malpractice has been overinflated in an effort to further limit individual’s access to the courts.

In the introduction to their report, Public Citizen states:

The number of malpractice payments in 2008 was the lowest since the creation of the federal government’s National Practitioner Data Bank, which has tracked medical malpractice payments since 1998. This was not an aberration. Last year was the third consecutive year in which the number of medical malpractice payments sunk to an all-time low. The cumulative value of malpractice payments (as distinct from the number of payments) in 2008 was either the lowest or second-lowest on record, depending on how one adjusts for inflation.

Medical malpractice litigation’s share of overall health care costs, which always has been minuscule, has fallen to less than 0.6 percent even under the most liberal definition. This figure encompasses insurance companies’ overhead and profits, as well as their litigation costs and the sum of actual payments made to victims. Actual medical malpractice payments have fallen to less than 0.2 percent of all health costs – the lowest level on record.

State and federal policy makers should not take comfort in the declines in medical malpractice litigation. Rather than pointing to safer medical care, the reduction in payments almost certainly means that there are ever more malpractice victims not receiving compensation – and fewer incentives for doctors and nurses to reduce errors.

>>INFORMATION: Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Lawsuits

According to the Access Economics Report, which was commissioned by Cerebral Palsy Australia, the cost of caring for people with cerebral palsy in Australia is approximately $2.4 billion annually, which is the equivalent to $2.1 billion U.S. Dollars. There are 33,800 Australians known to be living with cerebral palsy, and experts estimate that one child is born with the condition every eighteen hours in the country. The report estimated the cost of cerebral palsy by computing the financial cost of treatments, disability and premature death.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder of the nervous system, which is caused by damage to the brain which occurs before, during or immediately after birth. It impacts muscle control and coordination, and the effects of cerebral palsy can vary from mild problems with movements to severe paralysis and inability to control the body’s movement.

Individuals with cerebral palsy often have difficulty with basic activities, such as walking and talking, and about one in four experience seizures. Other complications that often accompany cerebral palsy are mental retardation, learning disabilities and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

This week was Cerebral Palsy Awareness Week in Australia, running from August 3, 2008 to August 9, 2008. The campaign was designed to raise public awareness about cerebral palsy in the country, with educational seminars and speeches highlighting the services provided by Cerebral Palsy Australia.

In the United States, estimates suggest that about 2 or 3 out of every 1,000 children have cerebral palsy. About 5,000 infants and toddlers and 1,200 to 1,500 preschoolers, are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year. There are approximately 500,000 people in this country have some degree of cerebral palsy.

CEREBRAL PALSY MALPRACTICE LAWYERS

The medical malpractice lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent families of children with cerebral palsy throughout the United States. When cerebral palsy is caused by a medical mistake at birth that could have been prevented, the costs of a lifetime of care and disability should not fall on the family. If your family member or loved one has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, review the legal rights which may be available by requesting a free consultation and claim evaluation.

>>PRIOR POST (2/9/2008): Use of Botox to Treat Cerebral Palsy
Linked to Serious Reactions

Botox is a medication which is approved for cosmetic procedures, as well as to treat cervical dystonia which causes muscle contractions in the neck. The medication contains the botulinum toxin, which is the bateria associated with the development of Botulism. As a result of the impact it has in reducing muscle tension, Botox injections are often prescribed off-label to treat cerebral palsy, which is associated with muscle contractions and lack of muscle control.

The Maryland boy from Charles County was prescribed Botox injections by his doctors to help him gain the ability to walk. The parents were told by his doctors that the Botox treatment would help the boy increase his ability to stretch his muscles. However, after several shots of Botox were administered over a period of three years, the boy died from a stroke and pneumonia.

A lawsuit filed by the parents alleges that their son’s death in 2007 was caused by the Botox injections. The manufacturer of the drug, Allergan, was blamed for negligence in design, manufacture and marketing of the popular anti-wrinkle drug. The suit also claims that Allergan promoted Botox “off-label” for patients with cerebral palsy, even though it was not approved for this purpose by the FDA or deemed safe and effective.
 
In February 2008, the FDA issued a public health warning to consumers and healthcare providers following multiple reports of deaths, breathing problems, and other adverse reactions caused by Botox. The FDA specifically highlighted the potential risks when using Botox to treat children with cerebral palsy, since the typical dose given is substantially larger than what is normally used for cosmetic purposes.

The reactions associated with Botox injections often produce symptoms similar to Botulism, such as weakness, vision problems, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing and respiratory distress.

CEREBRAL PALSY BOTOX LAWYERS

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent children throughout the United States who have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of a medical mistake at the time of birth. Potential for Cerebral Palsy Botox lawsuits are also being considered. If your child or a family member suffered a severe reaction to Botox resulting in death or serious injury, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

The five year trial, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, follows adults with cerebral palsy through 12 weeks of intense water exercises. While in water up to the hips, only about 50% of the bodyweight must be supported, allowing participants to move their muscles more and do things they can’t otherwise do. This allows them to perform much more vigorous exercise than they can do outside of water.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that is caused by an injury to the brain at or near the time of birth. It impacts motor control, balance and posture. While there are a number of programs designed to help children with cerebral palsy learn the skills and functions that can help them live a more independent life, little research has been done on adults.

CEREBRAL PALSY ATTORNEYS

In some cases, cerebral palsy is caused by a medical mistake at birth, which results in a lack of oxygen to the brain. The cerebral palsy attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent children and their famiies throughout the United States who may be entitled to compensation to help them obtain the treatment and support they will need throughout a lifetime with this disability.

If your child or family member has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you suspect that it may be caused by a medical mistake, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

Children with cerebral palsy often learn better muscle control and social interaction skills through specialized and diligent work. There are schools and learning centers that work closely with adults and children with cerebral palsy to help develop these skills. However, many of these schools do not continue over the summer, and cerebral palsy camps are often available fill the gap and continue the progress and development.

While camps may vary in size and activities offered, most have very low camper-to-counselor ratios and have medical staff available. Similar to traditional summer camps, activities could include swimming, arts and crafts, plays and skits, talent shows, movie nights, campfires, sing-a-longs, team sports and dances. In addition to providing a memorable and enjoyable summer experience, the summer camps also focus on utilizing fine motor skills.

Camp Grace Bentley, on the shore of Lake Huron, is one example of a cerebral palsy camp. The camp, which is dedicated to help children with special needs, runs for nine days and never has more than three campers for each counseler. Four sessions of nine days each begin in late June and run through mid-August at a cost of $400 for each session.

There are several resources on the internet to help families locate a cerebral palsy summer camp in their area. Below are two useful sources which list summer camps for children with disabilities:

• MySummerCamps.com
• VerySpecialCamps.com

CEREBAL PALSY ATTORNEYS

The cerebral palsy attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent children who suffered an injury at birth which was caused by a medical mistake. If the doctor, hospital or medical staff fail to follow the proper standards of medical care during a deliver, the child’s brain may be deprived of oxygen, resulting in cerebral palsy and a lifetime disability.

If you suspect that a medical mistake may be responsible for your child or family member suffering from cerebral palsy, request a free consultation.