Boy with Cerebral Palsy Gets Surgery

Simply put, treatment options for cerebral palsy are not only grueling and difficult to access for some, they are also expensive and often not covered by most traditional insurance policies. While the story of 16-year-old cerebral palsy patient Christian Izquierdo is a positive one, it also likely reinforces the worries of many parents with children suffering from birth injuries.

When he was only eight-months-old, Christian was diagnosed with Spastic Diplegia cerebral palsy, a birth injury that severely affected his ability to stand up and walk correctly. As he grew older, the risk of developing permanent muscular or skeletal deformities increased, leading his parents to seek out any form of treatment that could improve his movement.

"We just want the best for him, like any parent," his mom, Adriana Shashaty, told KDSK-TV.

That led to his parents eventually seeking out Dr. T.S. Park, the chief of pediatric neurosurgery at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, who has performed nearly 2,400 selective dorsal rhizotomies. The procedure cuts some sensory nerves in the back that eventually relieves tension and stiffness in the body and increases movement.

However, because the $32,000 procedure is not covered by most insurance policies, many patients who need it can often not afford to have it performed. Because Christian’s family could not initially pay for the operation, they set up “Christian’s Crusade” a website to gather online donations to fund the procedure.

Luckily, the family was able to raise the money have the procedure performed. Since the procedure his movement has improved dramatically. He can now jump and run, and has shown improvements in his bodily function, behavior, and speech.

While Christian’s case turned out to be a fortunate one, many other families cannot as easily find a way to raise that much money. However, if your child suffered a birth injury that can be attributed to medical error, a birth injury lawsuit may result in a financial settlement that can be used exclusively to fund medical treatment costs. Call Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing a birth injury lawsuit. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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