Common Preventable Birth Injuries
The birth of a baby is supposed to be a joyous and celebratory time, but for some, their celebrations do not last very long. Out of 1,000 babies born in the United States, six to eight of them are born with a birth injury. There are several different types of birth injuries and they each have their own symptoms and complications. The sooner you recognized the symptoms of a birth injury, the sooner you can get help for your precious little one.
What Are Birth Injuries?
Most births go as planned, with the baby delivered safely. Every once in a while, there will be some unforeseen circumstance or misjudgment on the doctor’s part that will cause injury to the baby as it is being born. By definition, a birth injury or birth trauma is a physical injury that occurs during the baby’s birth. Several factors increase the likelihood of a birth injury, including:
- If the baby weighs over 8 pounds, 13 ounces;
- If the baby is born prematurely, or before 37 weeks;
- The size and shape of the mother’s pelvis not being suitable for a vaginal birth;
- A difficult or prolonged labor; and
- Abnormal position of the baby before birth, which is any position in which the baby is not head first and backward.
There are many different types of birth injuries that can be caused by the carelessness of a doctor. These injuries can present themselves with a variety of symptoms, so it is important to get a medical opinion if you think your baby might have a birth injury.
Facial Paralysis
This type of injury occurs when pressure is put on a baby’s face during labor or birth. Often, this type of injury is noticed when the baby is crying because there will be no movement on the side of the face with the injured nerve. Movement will come back in a few weeks if the nerve was only bruised, but if the nerve was torn, surgery may be needed to fix the injury.
Brachial Palsy
When an injury occurs to the brachial plexus - which is the section of nerves that supply movement and feeling to the arm and hands - the baby can lose the ability to flex or rotate their arm. This type of injury often occurs when there is difficulty delivering the baby’s shoulder. Typically, movement will come back in a few months, but the injury can also result in permanent damage if it was extensive enough.
Cerebral Palsy
This birth injury affects the baby’s motor skills and can be congenital or due to the mistake of a physician during the pregnancy or birth. Cerebral palsy occurs when there is brain damage to the baby that could have happened due to a number of reasons, including the doctor’s failure to detect or treat infections during pregnancy, order a cesarean section or correctly use tools during labor. Cerebral palsy can follow your child for the rest of their life.
Seek Justice for Your Child with a San Jose Birth Injury Lawyer
Babies are some of the most precious gifts anyone could ask for and starting off their lives with an injury is unfair to them, especially if their birth injury is caused because of the negligence of a physician. If you suspect that your baby has a birth injury that has caused him or her suffering, you should immediately contact a Palo Alto birth injury attorney. The skilled attorneys at Janoff Law can help you fight for rightful compensation for you or your child’s suffering. Call the office at 408-286-2300 to set up a consultation.
Sources:
http://birthinjurycenter.com/cerebral-palsy-overview/
http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=birth-injury-90-P02340
