Just getting through each day caring for a child with serious birth injuries can be difficult, so the thought of trying to plan for her care throughout her lifetime might seem like an overwhelming, daunting task. However, when it comes to developing a plan, you are not alone, and the process of writing the life care plan can provide clarity and hope as well as a foundation for the future.

How is a Life Care Plan Developed?

Usually a Life Care Plan will be developed in collaboration with your family by a team of medical specialists who, based on their areas of expertise, can identify your child’s probable medical, educational, and rehabilitative needs over her lifetime. The team will then estimate the cost of meeting your child’s needs, including inflation.

The Life Care Plan they produce can help ensure that your child is taken care of throughout her lifetime and will be as healthy and comfortable as possible. In addition, the plan can be used during birth injury litigation to make sure the party responsible for the injury is held responsible for all damages.

What goes into a Life Care Plan?

A thorough Life Care Plan will try to account for all types of expenses associated with the care and development of your child. The plan will include medical care, possible medical procedures, adaptive equipment and home modifications, therapies (e.g., speech, occupational, physical), in-home care, transportation, and education. It might also include developmental goals or milestones that your child can achieve with proper education and therapy.

Collaborating with professional life care planners to develop a plan for your child’s care can help you take a coordinated, consistent approach toward her care, advocate for her optimal care throughout her lifetime, and help her strive for meeting developmental goals.