How to Spot Early Signs of Birth Injuries in Babies

The birth of a child is one of the most exciting times for many individuals and couples. After anxiously waiting 40 weeks for this new person to develop, it is time to meet the tiny human you have created. Many women will have smooth, easy, and uncomplicated labor and delivery experiences that result in the birth of a happy and healthy baby. Unfortunately, this is not true for everyone.

When a baby or mother is injured during pregnancy or delivery because of the negligence of a doctor, hospital, or other medical professionals, medical malpractice has occurred. Do you think your baby suffered from a birth injury because of negligence?

Detecting The Signs Of Birth Injuries

The process of suspecting and/or identifying birth injuries is different for each baby. In certain instances, the symptoms will be evident immediately. Other times, you might only recognize something is wrong further into your hospital stay. There are even circumstances where your baby may not exhibit any birth injury signs and symptoms until later in life.

Some of the early, common birth injury symptoms include:

• Failure to begin breathing immediately after being delivered
• Swelling, bruises, or scratches on the infant
• Requiring CPR or a breathing tube immediately following delivery
• Excessive drooling
• Lethargy
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Extremely high-pitched crying
• Infant arches back while crying
• Problems with sucking, swallowing, and/or eating
• Low heart rate
• Low blood oxygen levels
• Wheezing
• Muscle looseness or stiffness
• One arm that appears to be limp
• Hand curls up into a claw-like shape
• Showing favor to one side of the body
• Weak or deficient reflexes

While one or more of these symptoms of birth injuries can be an immediate cause of concern, it doesn’t necessarily mean that medical negligence has occurred. However, if your suspicions are valid and negligence can be proven, you have every right to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Types Of Birth Injuries

A baby is completely vulnerable during the labor and delivery process, which is why birth trauma during this type of medical scenario can be even more disturbing and detrimental to the well-being of the child. As a parent, it is important to understand when and how you can hold your doctor, hospital, and other medical staff accountable for their negligent behavior and wrongdoing.

Each labor and delivery is unique, presenting unique risks for the baby if the proper steps and precautions are not taken. Following are some common birth injuries that can have catastrophic results for a baby.

Brain-Related Birth Injuries

Brain-related birth injuries can occur in several ways. Many babies ultimately experience a brain-related injury because of oxygen deprivation. This could be because a medical team allowed the mother to stay in labor for far too long, and the baby doesn't move through the birth canal, instead of performing an emergency cesarean section to deliver the baby safely. Oxygen deprivation can also occur if a doctor fails to identify a problem with the umbilical cord.

Other acts of negligence from doctors and medical personnel can lead to brain-related birth injuries. For instance, careless or improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction can leave a baby with lasting injuries. Additionally, serious injuries can result if maternal infections are not properly detected and quickly treated.

One of the most frequently occurring brain-related birth injuries is cerebral palsy. In fact, roughly 10,000 babies that are born each year in the United States will develop cerebral palsy. The most unfortunate detail regarding this condition is that, in many cases, it could often have been prevented if doctors and other medical professionals had taken the necessary preventative measures.

Physical Injuries

While a brain injury may not be immediately apparent, physical injuries that occur during birth are typically easier to recognize and identify. When the upper extremity of an infant’s arm is pulled during delivery, the result can be a brachial plexus injury – weakness or inability to use specific muscles of the injured arm. Brachial plexus injuries can be minor, healing on their own over time, but can also cause permanent paralysis that lasts a lifetime. 

Erb’s palsy occurs when the nerves of the upper arm are injured, and severe cases can result in total paralysis. Klumpke’s palsy involves injury to the lower nerves of the arm, and the hand can permanently take on a claw-like shape.

Taking Legal Action Against Health Professionals

Suppose the arrival of your baby was impacted by negligence, or your baby is experiencing birth injury symptoms. In that case, the leading birth injury attorneys at Ross Feller Casey are here to help. No one should have to experience a catastrophic birth injury, especially when your child's birth injury could have been prevented. While we cannot reverse your family's suffering, we can help you get justice by holding the responsible parties accountable in a birth injury case. 

Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal options. Ross Feller Casey is the recognized leader in birth injury lawsuits and handles all of its cases on a contingency basis. That means you will never pay a thing until a financial recovery is made in your case.