The Traitors’ Jake reveals he has cerebral palsy
If you’ve watched the latest series of The Traitors, you will know Jake Brown, the joint-winner who revealed on the show that he has cerebral palsy. This surprised many fans, who had no idea about his disability, and it has sparked important conversations about our understanding of the condition.
What is cerebral palsy?
It is a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and coordination. It is caused by a problem with how the brain develops during pregnancy or by damage to the brain before, during or just after birth, such as a birth trauma, a lack of oxygen, an infection or a severe head injury.
Symptoms can include developmental delays, stiff or floppy muscles, weak arms or legs, jerky or uncontrolled movements and problems swallowing or speaking. It can also lead to learning disabilities.
Supporting cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. For some people, it may be more physically noticeable that they have cerebral palsy, but for others, the affects might be hidden.
Jake’s cerebral palsy affects his right arm and right leg, and he only revealed that he had cerebral palsy after struggling with his grip during a physical game on the show.
Jake said: “It’s been a struggle growing up, knowing that I’m not the same as everybody else.”
“Sometimes, because people don’t realise, they assume that there’s no issues or struggles but there obviously is.
“In the past, I probably wouldn’t have mentioned it, I would have struggled in silence but now I feel comfortable just being like, “This is an issue I’ve got; I need some help.””
We applaud Jake for normalising advocating for his needs and speaking out for support. We hope it inspires others to be comfortable asking for help if they need it. This is why representation of different disabilities in mainstream media is so important.
Our SEN team work with children with cerebral palsy, and their families, to ensure their needs are understood and accommodated for in their learning so they can thrive at school.
When does cerebral palsy give cause for a medical negligence claim?
If negligent treatment by doctors or nurses caused you or your child to develop cerebral palsy, you may be entitled to compensation to help with rehabilitation, treatment and care.
Medical errors that can lead to cerebral palsy include:
- Care and treatment failings during pregnancy
- Failure to monitor or interpret the baby’s heartbeat
- Failure to deliver the baby by caesarean section when needed
- Errors with forceps or ventouse during delivery
- Failure to act on baby distress during birth
Our experienced and caring team handle claims for cerebral palsy with compassion and urgency, ensuring our clients get the care and compensation they need and deserve. Call 02920 391773 or email medicalnegilence@geldards.com