HOW TO SPOT THE EARLY SIGNS OF BIRTH INJURIES IN BABIES
I still remember the feelings of excitement and anxiety the day our first child was born, we were blessed with a healthy son. While many deliveries go smoothly and without complication, others can be prolonged or encounter problems due to a failure of the medical providers, which can result in birth injuries to the infant and to the mother as well.
Detecting the signs of a birth injury is not always easy, however, and each baby will exhibit symptoms differently, if at all, since symptoms do not always become immediately apparent. In fact, sometimes injured babies do not experience the symptoms of their injury until later in life. Most of the time, the medical providers are aware of the injury but either do not inform the parents or attempt to explain the problem as temporary, poor genes, failure of the mother to follow doctor’s orders and other explanations in an attempt to hide their mistake.
Below is a list of some early signs of a birth injury that you should be aware of in case you suspect that your baby might have sustained a birth injury:
- Failure to begin breathing immediately after delivery
- Swelling, bruises, or scratches
- Requiring CPR or a breathing tube following delivery
- Lethargy: tired, weariness, fatigue, not eating
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Low heart rate
- Low blood oxygen levels
- Wheezing: continuous, coarse, whistling sound
- Muscle stiffness
- One arm that seems to be limp
- The baby’s hand curls into a claw-like shape
- Weak reflexes
If your baby exhibits one or more of these symptoms, seek a diagnosis and then speak with an attorney. To receive the representation you will need, you must seek the skilled legal advice of an experienced medical malpractice attorney who can guide you on your next steps.
Given that not all birth injuries are noticed immediately, it is important to always be observant of your child’s health as he or she continues to grow. Of course, precautionary parents can choose to have an MRI and scan their child’s brain to check for any internal problems. Birth injuries can also be identified when certain developmental milestones are missed. Some of these symptoms and signs include:
- Poor weight gain
- Poor growth
- Speech difficulties
- Abnormal and frequent outbursts
- Lethargy
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF BIRTH INJURIES?
A vast range of injuries, both minor and life-altering, can occur during the delivery process when a medical professional acts negligently. The most common ones include:
- Lacerations or bruises caused by forceps
- Caput succedaneum (swelling that occurs beneath the baby’s scalp)
- Facial paralysis
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Fractures
- Hemorrhaging
- Cephalohematoma (pooling of blood beneath the infant’s skull)
- Anoxia
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
EXPERIENCED BIRTH INJURY ATTORNEYS IN TULSA
If you are concerned that your baby may have suffered an injury during the birthing process, you need to reach out to a skilled medical malpractice attorney to help you and your family obtain the fair and just compensation you deserve and will need to care for your child. At Richardson Richardson Boudreaux, our team of birth injury attorneys in Tulsa are backed by more than 100 years of collective legal experience and an extensive history of proven success, which we will use to your advantage. This includes our in house nurse and team of consultants.
Get started on your birth injury case today and reach out to our law office at 918-492-7674 to request your free case review with our knowledgeable team of attorneys.