The idea of having a surgery to correct a cleft palate or cleft lip has been discussed in a previous blog post and, in many cases, it is the correct decision for your child’s health. However, in cases where surgery may not be the best option due to health concerns or fears that the surgery will not be successful, there are other non-surgical treatment options. Our birth defects attorneys would like to highlight some effective, nonsurgical treatment options specifically targeted to help your child develop better speech.
Speech Bulbs and Palatal Lifts
Once your child starts to grow, your doctor may want to discuss appliances that can be put in his or her mouth, to make speech easier. The speech bulb may be suggested, which is a plastic ball that fits into the velopharyngeal space, which is then attached to a plastic plate fitted to the roof of the mouth and held in place by wire clasps. The size of the bulb will vary depending on the size of the velopharyngeal space. The bulbs function is to stop air and sound from escaping the nose during speech. It is removed at night before bed.
Another appliance that may be suggested is a palatal lift. This is similar to a speech bulb, but is a wider, plastic paddle that extends back into the mouth and lifts the soft palate up, closing the velopharyngeal space. Your child’s care team should be consulted to see which, if any, of these appliances is appropriate.
Birth Defects Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia
Many parents who have children with a cleft lip or cleft palate are often overwhelmed and, in some instances, confused about their legal rights and whether or not birth defects attorneys would even be needed. In some cases, there have been improper actions that may have lead to your child’s birth defect and contacting birth defects attorneys is beneficial to your family’s physical and financial health. For example, the FDA has recently announced that Topamax (Topiramate), taken during pregnancy or during child-bearing years, has been linked to an increase in the development of cleft lips and cleft palates. We are able to assist parents dealing with these issues. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
A man fell at the health care center but did not receive proper treatment which led to his death. The report issued by the Department of Health Facility Complaints office stated that the man had a “large hematoma, approximately four centimeters by three centimeters, on his left forehead.” The man was not examined until thirty minutes after he sustained the injury and no vital signs or neurological tests were administered in the hours following the accident. Four hours after the fall, when the proper tests were finally conducted, the man’s vital signs were anything but stable and he was no longer responsive. He was then transferred to the hospital and died a mere two days after the initial accident. The death certificate stated that the death was caused by a massive intracranial hemorrhage. Nursing home neglect is far more prevalent than should be the case and it is essential that in the event of abuse or mistreatment, the proper authorities are notified as soon as possible.
Velopharyngeal dysfunction occurs when the open space between the back wall of the throat and the soft palate cannot be properly closed during speech. Unfortunately, this results in an unwanted escape of air or sound through the nose during speech. Essentially, this dysfunction may result in what is called hyper-nasal speech. The sounds that create speech come from both the nose and the mouth. When we speak, the majority of those sounds should come from the mouth alone. Closing the velopharyngeal space allows people to build pressure in the mouth and make the appropriate speech sounds. When a VPD is present, air comes through the nose that should not, and speech becomes too nasal.
With both parties meeting with an honest and neutral party, the judge, it is easier to get a true hold on how the parties can meet in the middle, at a fair amount of damages. We believe this process will probably result in somewhat smaller awards for plaintiffs but it will be paid far earlier than waiting for a verdict. Trials can drag on for years and years, this process should allow the parties to reach an agreement after only months. This will allow plaintiffs to get money much sooner, which in many cases is necessary as bills begin to stack up. Michelle M. Mello, a Harvard professor, said that “ordinarily when the parties come to a settlement conference, it’s late in the game.” This will no longer be the case with the success of judge-directed negotiations. The approach has been limited to New York City courts thus far but it is expected to spread rapidly due to its apparent success.
The woman’s troubles began in early June, 2010. On June 8th, the resident fell two times causing significant injuries. First, she fell directly out of her wheelchair, causing her to knock her head against the ground. The woman sustained injuries just above her right eye. Later that same day, the resident fell once again out of her chair onto the floor of a lounge area at the care center. Employees should have been aware of the potential for falls because this woman suffered from advanced dementia and this should have been apparent to her caretakers. Less than one month later, on July 5th, an employee did not know how to use a Divided-leg Sling which was attached to a mechanical lift. This lack of understanding led to yet another fall. This led to the development of a significant sized bump on the back of her head. An investigator for the state was able to substantiate these claims of nursing home neglect when he visited the Lutheran Care Center in September of 2010. Nursing home neglect is a growing problem across the map and it is crucial that these problems be reported as soon as possible in an effort to sustain the health of patients and residents everywhere.
Your child has a cleft lip and is about to start school and you are nervous that he or she may be the victim of a school bully. Our caring 
Since the plaintiff is the party bringing the lawsuit, the patient, and his or her medical malpractice attorneys, bear the burden of proving all of the necessary elements of the case by a preponderance of evidence (also known as the “more likely than not” standard). There are four key elements involved in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
A Miami company, Banner Supply, sold 1.4 million sheets of the defective drywall to various builders throughout the state of Florida. Homeowners will now be compensated due to the corrosive material that was used in their homes. This problem, with Chinese drywall, began to grow in the time after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the southern coast. Chinese drywall was imported into the States in large numbers as the call to rebuild homes grew louder. 
The patient went to the Mazzocco Ambulatory Surgical Center to have the lens on one of his eyes replaced with an artificial counterpart. The operation was categorized as standard and was only scheduled to last about two hours. The anesthesiologist assigned to the man reportedly had a history of walking out of the operating room while patients were under the effects of the potent drug. In the case that lead to the lawsuit, the patient was led into a deeper level of sedation than necessary.
Right now, Kentucky state law only requires nursing homes and long-term care facilities to conduct name-based background checks for prospective direct care employees. With the grant and the new digital fingerprint scanning equipment, more in-depth criminal background checks will be available. Kentucky state law also does not order that the employees submit fingerprint checks, but the facilities will be expected to voluntarily participate in the grant program and officials are expecting high involvement. According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokeswoman Jill Midkiff, the cabinet intends to pursue legislation that would require the fingerprint checks for caregivers employed in long-term care facilities.