CP Help Center Notes New Study: Cord Blood Injections for Newborns Could Fight Cerebral Palsy
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 18, 2014 -- The birth injury patient advocates at CerebralPalsyHelp.org are alerting parents of children with cerebral palsy of new treatment information on the site. Doctors in Australia have announced a study that will inject umbilical cord blood cells into newborns at risk of cerebral palsy to fight the condition*.
The CP Help Center is a national advocacy center providing the latest on cerebral palsy treatment, clinical trials, resources and litigation news. Parents can learn more about their child’s condition and how it may have been caused, get information on available assistance, and decide if they should seek legal advice.
Cerebral palsy affects muscle movement, coordination and posture. It is the leading cause of functional and developmental disability in children in the United States**, occurring in approximately 3.3 out of every 1,000 births, or around 10,000 infants per year**.
While CP affects muscle function, it is actually a neurological disorder caused by damage to parts of the brain that control muscle function***. This usually occurs before, during or after birth***.
Cerebral palsy may be caused by factors occurring to the fetus during pregnancy, or by trauma or asphyxiation during labor***. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cerebral palsy at this time. However, researchers are working towards better treatments.
Now, the CP Help Center has learned of a new cord blood study announced this month at the Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand*. Researchers at the Monash Institute of Medical Research found that cord blood stem cells taken from and injected back into lambs within 12 hours of birth could actually prevent the brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation*.
Next, the team will examine which type of stem cells have the greatest effect on repairing brain damage, and they expect this will lead to a national human clinical trial giving cord blood to babies at risk of cerebral palsy in their first few days*.
Anyone whose child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy should learn more about how their condition was caused, or speak with a lawyer about their legal options. The CP Help Center only recommends lawyers who specialize in cerebral palsy lawsuits.
For more information on the research, treatment, causes and litigation news related to cerebral palsy, or to speak with a lawyer, visit http://www.cerebralpalsyhelp.org today.
*Melbourne Herald Sun, 6/5/14; http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/could-babies-fight-cerebral-palsy-with-their-own-blood/story-fni0fit3-1226944387478
**National Institute of Health; ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_palsy/cerebral_palsy.htm
***March of Dimes; marchofdimes.com/baby/cerebral-palsy.aspx
Resource Specialist, CPHelp, http://www.CerebralPalsyHelp.org, +1 (888) 315-5770, [email protected]
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