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Home » Consumer Information » Children with Disabilities

Physical Disabilities

A physical disability is a disorder that temporarily or permanently inhibits ordinary bodily functions. Some of the more common examples found in children include:

Muscular dystrophy

As a child with muscular dystrophy gets older, the body's muscle fibers deteriorate until the victim is too weak to support their own weight. There are different kinds of muscular dystrophy , but the most common version is known as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which can only be contracted by males. Each strand of muscular dystrophy is passed on through genes, but this does not necessarily mean that other family members have to be inflicted with the condition as well.

Acquired brain and spinal injury

Severe injuries to the brain or spinal cord may result in the lack of mobility of various body parts.

Spina bifida

A fetus' spinal cord may not fully develop while in the mother's womb, and the resulting physical disability is known as spina bifida. The degree of disability that spina bifida causes is based on how irregular the spinal cord is. A child born with spina bifida may experience:

  • Semi or complete paralysis of the legs.
  • Bladder and bowel control problems.
  • Hydrocephalus, or increased pressure on the brain due to fluid buildup.
  • Misshapen bones and joints.
  • Curvature of the spine.

Cerebral palsy

When the region of a baby's brain that manages motor functions is harmed during the early stages of growth, the child has a condition called cerebral palsy. Most babies' brains become damaged during pregnancy, but they can also be injured during the process of childbirth or in the months following delivery (e.g., oxygen shortage due to a near-drowning, meningitis, head injury from fall, violent shaking). A child diagnosed with cerebral palsy may exhibit problems with:

  • Posture, or positioning the body a certain way and holding it there.
  • Controlling the functions of specific body parts or the entire body.
  • Muscle weakness or stiffness.
  • Muscle spasms.
  • Equilibrium and coordination.
  • Speaking and chewing food.

Multiple disabilities

Some kids that suffer from physical disabilities may have other forms of affliction affecting intelligence, vision, hearing, and the ability to communicate. Epilepsy and asthma are also a possibility. When physicians discuss to a child with at least two forms of disability, they mention them as a patient with multiple disabilities instead of listing each ailment separately.

If you have a child with a physical disability due to a traumatic injury caused by an accident or medical malpractice, you may deserve to be reimbursed for damages. Contact a personal injury lawyer or medical malpractice lawyer for some advice.