Knowing about common birth injuries and how they are caused can help parents to act appropriately when their newborn is showing symptoms.
No new parent living in New York wants to deal with a newborn child suffering from an injury, but, unfortunately, complications can sometimes arise during birth. For those without a deeper understanding of medicine, it can be difficult to assess why an infant has certain marks, bruises, bleeding or other medical issues. There are a few particular forms of trauma that are more commonly sustained during the process of giving birth. Knowing how to identify some of these can help parents to better know if they are dealing with a birth injury or not.
What are common causes of birth injuries?
To better understand some of the more common birth injuries, it is helpful to know some of the common causes and warning signs. If the contractions are not strong enough to move the baby through the birth canal, or the baby is not going to come out headfirst, complications can arise. A prematurely born child is more likely to be injured while being given birth to, as is a larger baby. When a vacuum or forceps are used, or if a cesarean delivery occurs, it is possible for injury to occur, and in some cases the injury could be a result of medical malpractice.
What are some of the most common birth injuries?
While some will heal over time with no lasting impact, other birth injuries can have lifelong effects. The following list from the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford covers some of these injuries and their symptoms:
· Fracture: It is possible for the fragile bones of a newborn to be fractured or cracked at birth. If a baby does not move one of its arms or has difficulty doing so, it could be caused by a clavicle fracture, which is the most common of the fractures that can happen during labor.
· Brachial palsy: if the arm does not move, it may also signify an injury of the brachial plexus which connects the arm with the brain. It can heal with special exercises, but if the nerve is torn, damage may be permanent.
· Facial paralysis: if facial nerves are torn or damaged, parts of an infant’s face may be paralyzed. This can also be temporary or permanent depending on the extent of the injuries.
· Bruising and laceration: A common cause of bruising and laceration is the use of a vacuum or forceps during delivery.
If any of these symptoms occur in a baby, it is important to have them treated as soon as possible and to make a detailed record of what occurred.
Anyone in New York who has had their newly born child injured as a result of the actions taken by the staff at a hospital may be able to get compensation to help deal with the costs of treatment, and for the pain and suffering endured through such a process. An attorney in the local area who does medical malpractice cases may be able to provide sound consultation and representation.
