Trauma

Very young infants who undergo traumatic events that cause brain damage are at a higher risk of developing cerebral palsy. Any type of action that causes a shearing of the delicate and developing brain tissue of a young infant can result in the kind of brain injury that causes cerebral palsy. Two traumatic events that can result in cerebral palsy include abusive head trauma and car accidents.

Abusive Head Trauma

Abusive head trauma, frequently known as “shaken baby syndrome,” occurs when a baby is shaken, dropped, or thrown. Abusive head trauma is an act of violence that is most often perpetrated by parents and caregivers. Most infants who sustain an abusive head trauma are between the ages of three and eight months, although children as old as four can be affected.

Because an infant’s neck muscles aren’t yet developed, violent shaking causes the child’s head to pitch back and forth uncontrollably. This causes the skull to knock against the brain, resulting in shearing of brain tissue, rupturing of blood vessels, and bruising in the brain.

Car Accidents

The forces of acceleration and deceleration that occur during a car accident can also cause brain damage in the infant and young child. When a car abruptly stops as a result of colliding with something in front of it, or when it speeds up as a result of being hit from behind, a young child does not have the muscle control to prevent the head from rotating on the neck. Again, this causes the brain to knock against the skull, causing shearing, tearing, rupturing, and bruising of the brain tissue.

In most cases, trauma that results in cerebral palsy can be avoided. If you believe that the trauma that caused your child’s cerebral palsy was the fault of someone else, you may be due compensation. Contact us to find out how we can help.