Birth injuries in newborns can vary greatly. A birth injury is defined as damage that occurs as a result of physical pressure during the delivery process most often occurring as infants pass through the birth canal. Birth injury types include:
Cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, brain damage, and weakened limbs are only a few of the outcomes of these types of birth injuries.
If your child has a birth injury and you need answers and assistance, speak to a birth injury attorney near you. To speak to an attorney in your area, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529.
A vacuum delivery, also known as vacuum-assisted delivery, is a procedure in which a doctor uses a vacuum extractor to help guide a baby out of the birth canal during labor. This tool consists of a soft or rigid cup attached to the baby’s head and connected to a vacuum pump, creating suction to assist …
Fetal tachycardia causes depend on your baby’s type of tachycardia. Fetal tachycardia happens when a baby’s heart rate exceeds 180 beats per minute. Some cases of fetal tachycardia are genetic, but some cases could be prevented with medical intervention. Knowing what causes fetal tachycardia and the different types can help you know whether your baby’s …
Placental abruption happens when the placenta separates from the uterus prematurely. What causes placental abruption is typically trauma to the abdomen, but uncontrolled high blood pressure and substance abuse can also create damage that can cause separation. This is an extremely serious birth injury that could threaten the life of the fetus and the mother. …
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is when an unborn baby is not growing at the expected rate during pregnancy. Specifically, it means the baby’s estimated weight is below the 10th percentile for their gestational age. This restricted growth can lead to various health complications before and after birth. If your baby was diagnosed with IUGR during …
A brachial plexus injury is an injury to the nerves in the shoulder that control the arm and the hand. In the context of newborns, many brachial plexus injuries are caused by negligent doctors damaging the nerve cluster. Recognizing the signs of a brachial plexus injury is crucial for early intervention. As a parent, you …
Klumpke’s and Erb’s Palsy are brachial plexus injuries but affect different parts of this nerve network. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that runs from the spinal cord through the neck and into the arm. These nerves control movement and feeling in the shoulder, arm, hand, and fingers. Brachial plexus injuries occur when …
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), also known as neonatal encephalopathy or brain hypoxia, is a serious condition caused by hypoxia in newborns. It results from insufficient oxygen and blood flow to the baby’s brain. HIE can lead to significant, long-term health issues, such as cognitive impairments, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision problems, epilepsy, or even death. Brain …
Intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD), commonly referred to as stillbirth, is the term used when a fetus dies in the womb after the 20th week of pregnancy but before birth. This condition can occur due to various factors, including placental problems and genetic abnormalities. IUFD is typically diagnosed through the absence of fetal heartbeat and movement, …
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), informally known as autism, affects how people perceive the world and socialize with others. It has a wide range of symptoms and severity. ASD is a relatively recent diagnosis, combining four other former diagnoses. The cause of ASD is unknown, but there are some correlations. Researchers proved that there is a …
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), or autism, is a condition related to the brain that changes how a person perceives sensory input and how they interact with others. Mild cases can cause lifelong problems with social interaction. Severe cases require a lot of external support. ASD is not a birth injury, but many birth injuries can …
High muscle tone, or hypertonia, is a condition where muscles are stiff and difficult to move. This condition is caused by the disruption of signals from the brain to the nerves, telling the muscle to contract. Although high muscle tone is common in those with cerebral palsy, there are a variety of other reasons why …
Brain ischemia is a serious medical complication that may cause an infant to suffer disabling or even deadly brain damage. Newborn brain ischemia may be diagnosed through a physical examination of the baby’s body, blood tests, and imaging tests, including an MRI, CT scan, or ultrasound. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of brain ischemia may help …
Babies with torticollis normally have misshapen necks or difficulty moving their heads. However, medical tests can help diagnose the condition. There are numerous ways to detect torticollis. For parents wondering, “How do I know if my baby has torticollis?” the telltale symptoms include: Preference for one breast over the other during feedings. If the baby …
In some cases, your doctors may advise that you deliver early with placenta previa. According to Cedars Sinai, this condition presents as bright red, painless bleeding from the vagina and is most common during the third trimester. When severe vaginal bleeding is present, medical complications are more likely both for both you and your baby. …
Pressure or impact to the head can cause a cephalohematoma in a newborn. They occur because of ruptured blood vessels underneath the baby’s scalp but outside of the skull. It does not take significant trauma or force to cause a cephalohematoma. A cephalohematoma may occur during a long or difficult labor and delivery. One cause …
Cephalohematoma is a type of injury that occurs when there is damage to blood vessels in the periosteum. This is a layer of protective covering that is between the skin and the baby’s skull. On its own and without complications, bleeding into this area is usually benign and requires no treatment. However, it is important …
Infant Bell’s palsy is a type of facial paralysis that affects newborns. From the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), this palsy affects roughly 6 out of every 100,000 children between the ages of 1 to 15. It occurs as a result of an injury to specific cranial nerves that supply sensation and muscle control …
How long Bell’s palsy lasts in children depends on a number of factors. In most cases, it resolves on its own over a few months. Even with Bell’s palsy occurring as a part of a birth injury, it usually clears up during the first year of the baby’s life. Most mild cases do not require …
Broken bones among infants are rarely a life-threatening injury. That said, these injuries are serious and require immediate emergency medical treatment. The extent and location of the injury will determine what treatment for an infant with a broken bone is necessary. More often than not, immobilization of the injured area is enough to allow it …
What happens when a baby has a brain bleed depends on the nature of the bleed. In severe cases, doctors may perform emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and restore normal function to the baby. In other cases, ongoing medical intervention may be necessary to ensure that the baby’s condition does not worsen. Scans and …
An injury that occurs to the seventh cranial nerve may cause facial paralysis in newborns. The condition is known as Bell’s palsy. It can occur before or during birth, but symptoms may not appear until a few days after the delivery. There are risk factors that have been associated with the prevalence of facial paralysis …
The signs of recovery from Bell’s palsy consist of the symptoms slowly going away. You may notice this occurring in as little as two weeks, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Signs that your baby is recovering from Bell’s palsy may include: More movement in facial expressions The face being more symmetrical The …
The long term effects of a brain bleed may include brain damage and developmental issues. This could include cognitive, sensory, and physical effects. Tragically, some brain bleed injuries are fatal. These types of complications are dependent on how serious the condition is in the first place. Brain bleeding is given a grade one through four. …
Although rare, Bell’s palsy can cause permanent damage. It depends on how damaged the facial nerve is and the symptoms and signs that follow. When you are giving birth, there are two main reasons your newborn may have sustained an injury to their facial nerve. They may have received pressure on the nerve by having …
Birth injuries can sometimes occur as a part of the birth process, but many are preventable. When a doctor fails to diagnose a serious condition, fails to prevent an injury, or uses an improper technique that causes an injury, the newborn’s parents may be able to take legal action by filing a claim based on …
