Birth Injuries
What Type Of Tests Do Doctors Use To Test For Cerebral Palsy?
Due to cerebral palsy being a neurological disorder, imaging and scan tests are utilized to assist with a cerebral palsy diagnosis and can help determine the cause of seizures. Below is a list of the some frequently used tests for cerebral palsy.
MRI: MRI stands for magnetic response imaging, which is used to take a 3D image of the brain to assist in determining abnormalities in the brain that are related to motor function. It can take an hour to perform and can help doctors determine the cause of the baby’s cerebral palsy.
Cranial Ultrasound: This is a quick test that allows doctors to closely examine brain tissue. Moreover, they do not provide as much detail as MRIs or CT scans. Cranial ultrasounds are necessary because they can capture distinct images in the white matter of the brain, which is primarily the area suffering from damage in a baby who has cerebral palsy.
Computed Tomography: Cross sectional images of the brain are captured in CT scans and can take about 20 minutes to complete. They detect things like brain bleeding and various other brain conditions. CT scans can also aid in confirming the diagnosis along with the timing of the brain injury. The film produced from a CT scan is similar to an X-Ray.
Electroencephalogram: Also known as an EEG, this determines the electrical activity of the brain. EEGs can detect patterns that are found in seizures.
Umbilical Cord Gas Test: During labor and delivery, doctors may order an umbilical cord gas test. If meconium staining is present when a mother’s water is broken, along with non-reassuring fetal heart strip, this test is triggered. The cord gas test aims to measure how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is found in the baby’s blood. These two elements impact the blood’s acidity, or pH levels. Acidity in the blood is when the blood cells are changing, which in turn suggests that the baby is suffering from a lack of oxygen. A lack of oxygen can onset fetal hypoxia, or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which can then lead to a cerebral palsy diagnosis in some instances.
Quick Links
HIE
Cerebral Palsy
Meconium
FAQs
Resources
Glossary
Contact
Latest Articles
How Inadequate Fetal Monitoring Can Lead to HIE Brain Injuries
For expectant mothers, labor and delivery can be a time filled with both excitement and anxiety. One of the most critical aspects of this process is ensuring that the baby is doing well throughout labor, and this is where electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) comes...
Induced Labor For Medical Reasons and the Risk of An HIE Brain Injury
When a pregnancy reaches a point where medical intervention is necessary, doctors may recommend induced labor. However, if this process isn’t carefully monitored, it can lead to devastating outcomes, such as a baby suffering a Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy...
Why A C-Section May Not Prevent An HIE Brain Injury: Medical Errors & Delayed Decisions
When a baby is born with a Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) brain injury, one of the questions parents often ask is whether a timely C-section could have prevented the injury. While it’s true that a C-section can be an essential intervention in preventing...
Why Your Baby’s Heart Variability Matters Especially With A Hypoxic Brain Injury
When you’re expecting a baby, your healthcare team closely monitors your baby’s heart rate as a critical part of ensuring their well-being. One important aspect of this monitoring is heart rate variability, which refers to the fluctuations in the time interval...
Follow Us
Join Our Newsletter
ADVERTISEMENT. The information presented on this website should not be construed to be formal legal advice. The use of this website does not establish an attorney-client relationship; however, your responses here will be kept strictly confidential. Any results set forth herein are based upon the facts of that particular case and do not represent a promise or guarantee of future outcomes. Services not available in all states based on this communication. The attorneys of Boston Law Group, LLC have represented clients throughout the United States. They practice subject to court approval in states where they are not members of the bar. An attorney client relationship can only be created through a signed, executed engagement letter. Lawyers who will provide services advertised on this website and who are responsible for this website’s content are principally located at Boston Law Group, LLC, 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 100, Largo, MD 20774.