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Dysphagia cerebral palsy is an incurable condition that makes it painful, difficult and in some cases, nearly impossible for a person to swallow, as the throat muscles lack strength and coordination abilities.
About 60 percent of children and adults living with cerebral palsy experience dysphagia (Stroke and cerebral palsy are the conditions most commonly associated with dysphagia). Each year, approximately 60,000 people will die as a result of dysphagia.
Cerebral palsy is a group of physical disorders that affect motor skills and muscle development throughout the body. Caused by a brain injury or abnormal brain development, the onset of cerebral palsy can occur during fetal growth, at birth or until the third year of life. Even if cerebral palsy is present at birth, it may not be recognized until the child is between 1 and 3 years of age, due to the varying rate at which babies develop.
All people with cerebral palsy have problems with body movement. Some people are affected only in a certain part of their body; others are affected all over the body. In some cases, cerebral palsy affects the facial and throat muscles or the mouth and tongue, making it difficult to swallow. This condition is called dysphagia.
Usually a symptom of cerebral palsy that shows up shortly after birth, dysphagia causes a number of problems associated with eating, talking and breathing. Infants and young children with dysphagia can choke while being fed, leading to further complications and a medical emergency if the food is not able to be removed. Coughing and choking during feeding are common occurrences in people with cerebral palsy-related dysphagia.
When facial, mouth and tongue functions are limited by cerebral palsy symptoms, drooling often becomes a problem. Dysphagia prevents the proper swallowing of fluids from the mouth, which can irritate the skin around the mouth, chin and chest. Dysphagia may also make it difficult to brush the teeth, thus leading to dental problems.
A more serious complication of dysphagia in cerebral palsy occurs if food is inhaled into the lungs during feeding. The presence of food in the lungs increases the risk of pneumonia. Inability to swallow food may also lead to nutrient deficiency as well as excessive, unhealthy weight loss.
Dysphagia cerebral palsy, as well as other types of cerebral palsy, can be caused by a variety of complex factors, including (but not limited to):
In most cases, nurses' or doctors' mistakes result in dysphagia cerebral palsy when other labor complications arise. Medical mistakes that can cause dysphagia cerebral palsy include failing to detect and properly respond to:
Other medical mistakes that may contribute to the presence or severity of cerebral palsy in children include:
When such medical mistakes occur, infants tend to suffer the irreversible brain damage associated with cerebral palsy.
While the precise symptoms present will depend on the severity of an infant's condition, dysphagia cerebral palsy symptoms typically include any combination of:
Because there is currently no cure for dysphagia cerebral palsy (or any type of cerebral palsy, for that matter), cerebral palsy treatments involve:
To these ends, cerebral palsy dysphagia treatments may include any combination of:
Along with pursuing the prescribed course of dysphagia treatments, it's also vital that families who have a member living with cerebral palsy meet with a cerebral palsy lawyer to find out if medical mistakes contributed to their child's condition.
To encourage prospective plaintiffs to find out if they have a case, cerebral palsy lawyers offer free consultations and will work on contingency – so that no payment for their services will be required until a settlement is won.
Has your child been born with Dysphagia Cerebral Palsy? If so, speak to a cerebral palsy attorney today to find out if you have a case and are entitled to compensation for your child's permanent disabilities, emotional suffering and medical bills.
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