Is Your Child Suffering From Birth Injuries?

A birth injury is defined as damage that happens to a child during or prior to birth. It is estimated that about 1,000 babies are injured during birth. Birth injuries come in a variety of forms and severity levels. Though not always, birth injuries are avoidable in some instances. However, at times such damage to the baby is usually caused by negligence and improper care by the healthcare provider. Some common birth injuries:  Below are some of the of most prevalent birth related child injuries

• Cerebral Palsy
• Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy/lack of oxygen to the brain due to brain cell injury
• Bleeding in the brain
• Swelling in the brain
• Fractures in the Skull

For an infant, the contortions and contractions that come with childbirth mean that the risk for birth injury is always there. However, in some cases birth injury is caused by negligence by the physician or midwife.

Factors That May Lead to a Birth Injury

• Large fetal head that prolongs or delays delivery
• Babies exceeding the normal birth weight might be too large for the vagina which consequently might cause birth injuries
• Certain prescription drugs taken by the mother before delivery might also lead to birth injury (Such drugs include SSRI)
• Exposure to certain chemicals at the workplace may cause serious birth defects too

Medical malpractice or negligence is defined as when a healthcare provider deviates from conventionally accepted practices, causing harm to the baby.

Factors That May Be Interpreted As Medical Malpractice

• Failure to note fetal distress as is seen on the heart monitor and thus failing to provide appropriate treatment
• Misuse of instruments of delivery such as vacuum and forceps
• The improper use of delivery drugs such as Pitocin; a drug used to facilitate or induce labor
• Improperly resuscitating the newborn immediately after delivery

In some instances the physician may fail to properly manage a complicated pregnancy, which in turn leads to birth injuries. These include:

• Prolapsed or compressed umbilical cord
• Maternal infections
• Fetal bleeding or maternal bleeding that’s abnormal
• Difficult vaginal delivery due to inadequate pelvis size

Birth Injury Detection:  Detecting a birth injury is not complicated at all. Sometimes, it is possible to immediately detect it after birth. In some cases though, it might take years before the damage is detected. Some signs of such damage include:

• Seizures that are not separated by more than 48 hours
• A single arm that appears to be limp

How We Can Help: Suffering including the years of pain and prolonged often lifelong disabilities such as Erb’s Palsy or Cerebral Palsy are a tragedy for for the child as well as his loved one and family members.  If your son or daughter is suffering from a birth injury or a birth defect due to medical malpractice you must tend to your child’s needs.  Protecting your rights and holding those who cause such pain and suffering is our job.  Our goal in ever Child Birth Injury Malpractice claim is to maximize the compensation so that your child can receive the proper medical care and treatment he deserves. Contact Information: At Downtown LA Law, our skilled California Birth Injury Lawyers and Child Brain Injury Lawyers we will ensure that your rights are protected. Our legal team will ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. If  your child has a birth injury that was as a result of negligent medical care, our Downtown LA Law legal team can offer you effective representation. Call us (855) 339-8879