Newborn jaundice is a relatively common condition and is generally easily treatable. However, if left untreated, significant birth injuries may occur. If a doctor or other medical care provider failed to recognize the signs of jaundice or did not provide adequate treatment, and your child sustained injuries, you may have grounds to pursue a medical malpractice payout.
To learn if your family is eligible to file a birth injury case against the doctor or hospital, reach out to the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today by calling (800) 222-9529. You will be connected with a birth injury lawyer for newborn jaundice in your state for a free consultation.
Newborn Jaundice Can Cause Serious, Lifelong Disabilities
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin that occurs because of too much bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a waste product normally processed by the liver. However, this process is not always working as it should in newborns. Infants often need light treatment to help their bodies break down bilirubin.
Jaundice is easily recognizable and generally easily treatable. If the doctor and the medical care team fail to recognize, diagnose, and treat jaundice; however, the consequences can be dire. Excess bilirubin can affect the baby’s brain function. They could develop:
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Deafness
- Cerebral palsy
- Cognitive disabilities
Your Family May Have Grounds for a Birth Injury Medical Malpractice Case
If your child sustained brain damage or had other ill effects related to newborn jaundice, you may want to discuss your case with a birth lawyers for newborn jaundice in your state. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be eligible to pursue compensation by holding the doctor or hospital liable for your family’s related expenses and losses.
A doctor’s negligence can cause complications related to newborn jaundice if they:
- Fail to recognize signs of jaundice
- Fail to properly diagnose jaundice
- Fail to treat jaundice
- Fail to adequately monitor the child to ensure bilirubin levels decrease
- Commit other medical errors related to diagnosis or treatment
Your attorney will be able to help you understand the strength of your case and explain your legal options. They can help you identify a medical expert witness to assist in proving your case and collect other evidence to document your range of expenses and losses related to your child’s birth injury.
If you have questions about pursuing compensation and holding the doctor or hospital liable, act as soon as possible. Each state has its own rules for how long you have to take legal action. While some states toll the statute of limitations for birth injuries, others may not.
What Is Newborn Jaundice?
You may initially suspect your newborn having jaundice when you notice a yellow tinge to their skin and eyes. A child with newborn jaundice will have elevated levels of bilirubin in their blood. The body creates bilirubin as it replaces red blood cells. The liver usually breaks down bilirubin and removes it from the body. When that process fails, bilirubin accumulates causing your baby’s skin and the whites of their eyes to take on a yellow hue.
Severe newborn jaundice can occur when the baby has an increased number of red blood cells the body needs to replace. Early infant jaundice can also result from some medications, infections present at birth, low oxygen levels, prematurity, and sepsis.
Careful monitoring during the first five days of life can prevent most cases of jaundice. If newborn jaundice led to more serious medical issues like kernicterus for your baby, seek medical help immediately, then consult an attorney to get the legal help you need and deserve. You may be able to file a lawsuit to recoup medical-related expenses.
What are symptoms of Newborn Jaundice?
Abnormal Infant Skin Color and Texture
Most hospitals and birth centers perform the Apgar test within five minutes after birth. This scale includes a check of the infant’s skin color and is one of several clinical indications of a newborn’s overall health.
Sometimes a medical professional does not recognize that abnormal skin color is a warning sign of a serious or life-threatening condition. A preventable birth injury affects your child’s development and your entire family’s emotional and financial wellbeing.
Common Causes for Abnormal Infant Skin Color and Texture
Infant jaundice creates a yellow tinge to the skin and is caused by immature liver activity. Babies who are more likely to get jaundice are those who are:
- Premature
- Have an infection
- Bruised during childbirth
- Have internal bleeding
A more serious medical condition occurs if a baby has blue skin or blue extremities. This may be a sign of a preventable birth injury such as meconium aspiration syndrome or perinatal asphyxia. Meconium aspiration syndrome occurs when an infant is past its due date. Perinatal asphyxia happens if an infant has insufficient oxygen during labor or delivery.
Some Medical Conditions Require Lifelong Care
Abnormal skin color from a condition such as perinatal asphyxia can have lifelong health implications. Insufficient oxygen can lead to organ damage in the brain and heart. Babies who suffered from perinatal asphyxia may have physical or cognitive impairments that need constant medical care and special help in school, at home, and in the future.
NEWBORN JAUNDICE NEWS
Infant Jaundice May Be A Boon For Babies
Jaundice in newborns is quite common, especially in premature births. If this isn’t controlled soon after birth, dangerous conditions like kernicterus can develop. But why does jaundice happen in babies in the first place? Science may have an answer now. iNews reports.
After an earlier experience with a baby undergoing sepsis that was also receiving jaundice treatments, Richard Hansen created a study at the University of Aberdeen to look at the relationship between bilirubin, the chemical that builds up in someone with jaundice, and bacteria grown from babies who were septic.
The results of the study showed that even a little rise in the level of bilirubin reduced the growth rates of Gram-positive Streptococcus agalactiae by altering the bacteria’s substrate metabolism.
Now the researchers hope to move on to animal testing to see if the same effects can be seen in animals rather than just blood cultures. If the hypothesis that bilirubin reduces the chance of sepsis bears out, it could lead doctors to raise the acceptable bilirubin threshold in babies and reduce the chances of post-birth infections in premature children.
We look forward to hearing about future results. Infants infections can cause brain damages and developmental difficulties just like conditions like kernicterus can.
Talk to a Birth Injury Lawyer for Newborn Jaundice
At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, we want to help you connect with an attorney who takes on newborn jaundice birth injury cases in your state. They will be able to review your case for free and handle your claim or lawsuit on a contingency basis. You pay little or nothing unless they recover a payout for your family.
Fill out the contact form or call (800) 222-9529 today to get started.