Given the broad range of injuries that can happen at birth, the costs of treatments and therapies that are needed in each case can vary greatly.
In the case of more severe birth injuries, taking care of a disabled child can be expensive, with the costs of treatments, therapies, schooling, assistive devices, and more quickly adding up.
For someone affected by cerebral palsy, the average lifetime cost of care is nearly $1 Million, according to the CDC.
A few examples of common costs associated with caring for a child with a birth injury include:
Direct Non-Medical Costs: Home and car modifications, special education, assistive equipment (leg braces, walkers, or wheelchairs), and more family out-of-pocket expenses
Direct Medical Costs: Doctors’ visits, medications, treatments, therapies, inpatient hospital stays, emergency room visits, residential care, and more
Indirect Costs: The value of lost wages if you need to take time away from your job to care for your child, or in the future, your child cannot work or is limited in the amount of work they can do