The brain damage that causes or contributes to cerebral palsy can occur during pregnancy, during birth and even after birth. Many parents ask if cerebral palsy can be detected before birth, but the diagnosis usually does not happen until a child is two or three. The earlier you get the diagnosis, the better, so bring... Read More

Five U.S. hospitals have now implemented international cerebral palsy diagnosis guidelines that have allowed them to reduce the average age at diagnosis from 19.5 months to 9.5 months. Most hospitals have an average age of about two years at diagnosis. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital, based in Columbus, Ohio, was the first hospital to implement the... Read More

By Giles Manley, MD, JD CPFN Medical Advisor As an attorney with more than 20 years of obstetrical experience, I regularly sit down with parents and review situations in which medical error is the suspected cause of their child’s cerebral palsy. While each case is different, there are certain medical errors which come up most... Read More

Cerebral palsy is one of the most common developmental disorders in children. However, it may take years before an official cerebral palsy diagnosis is made. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else, including your child’s doctors. If you believe your child isn’t developing normally, insist that your doctor investigate your concerns. Read More

For some parents, hearing the words “your child has cerebral palsy” for the first time is a huge shock. For many others, it only confirms what they have suspected for a long time. Still, some parents are relieved to hear the news; they knew something was wrong, and now that they know what it is, they can begin to take action. Read More

Fortunately, most births in the United States are complication-free. But in my practice, I primarily deal with parents whose child was diagnosed months or even years after birth with cerebral palsy, and who suspect medical error may have played a part. I have investigated some 10,000 of these cases over the years. Read More