Out of 1,000 babies born in the United States, six to eight of them are born with some kind of injury. Each birth injury has its own symptoms and complications, but the sooner that birth injuries are detected, the sooner you may be able to save your pride and joy from a lifelong injury.
Defining Birth Injuries
Most childbirths go as planned, with the baby ending up in the parent’s arms right after delivery. But every once in a while, there may be some unforeseen event or negligent act on a medical professional’s part that will cause an injury to a baby during childbirth. This is a birth injury, sometimes referred to as birth trauma.
There are several factors that could play a role in the development of a birth injury, including:
- Failure to monitor fetal distress
- Restricted airflow
- Failure to order an emergency cesarean in a timely matter
- Prolonged or delayed labor
- Placental abruption
- Lack of communication between medical professionals during the birthing process
Our experts have listed three of the most common preventable birth injuries, along with how they can occur and what can be done to prevent them in the first place.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy affects a newborn baby’s motor skills and can happen due to the mistake of a medical professional during pregnancy or birth. While not always derived from birth, this injury can occur when the baby suffers from brain damage due to a multitude of reasons, including failure to detect or treat infections during pregnancy, order a timely cesarean section, or properly use tools during labor. This injury can follow your child for the rest of their life.
Facial Paralysis Birth Injuries
Facial paralysis occurs when pressure is put on a baby’s face during labor or birth. In many instances, this 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 may come back in a few weeks if the nerve was only bruised, but if the nerve was torn, surgery will be needed.
Brachial Palsy
Brachial palsy occurs when there is an injury to the brachial plexus. This is the section of nerves that supplies movement and feeling to the arms and hands. When this injury occurs to a baby, the child can lose the ability to flex or rotate their arm. Brachial palsy often occurs when there is difficulty delivering the baby’s shoulder. Typically, the movement will come back in a couple of months, but the injury can also result in years of pain or permanent damage if it was extensive enough.
Fellerman & Ciarimboli Can Seek Justice for Your Newborn
Children are our most precious gift, and you never want anything bad to happen to them. At Fellerman & Ciarimboli, we feel the same way. Our Pennsylvania birth injury lawyers will work nonstop to make sure you receive compensation for your child’s injuries, medical bills, and ongoing treatment so you can continue with your lives.
If you believe your child was injured by the negligence of a medical professional, now is the time for action. Contact Fellerman & Ciarimboli now to schedule a free consultation.
