Giving birth to a newborn is one of the most critical aspects of one’s life. Giving birth to a child can require significant responsibilities and precautions to ensure the baby is healthy and safe. However, birth injuries can occur. Birth injuries might be termed medical malpractice in some cases.
Birth injuries are often caused due to physical harm or untreated illnesses before or during birth. While treatment can help the baby to recover and lead an overall improved life, some injuries can become severe and cause lifelong disabilities. You should learn more about your legal options today if you encounter birth injuries during your child’s birth.
Besides, below are some common birth injuries you must know, as they can help you deal with the problem more effectively.
Getting to know the common birth injuries:
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Erb’s palsy
Erb’s palsy or brachial plexus palsy is a type of birth injury related to paralysis. It is primarily characterized by paralysis of a child’s shoulder, arm, or hand. Such injury generally occurs when damage is caused to the brachial plexus nerves during childbirth.
Erb’s palsy can also occur due to excessive pull to the child’s neck or head in a difficult delivery or baby’s feet in a breech delivery. Erb’s palsy can happen when the baby’s head, neck, or shoulder is stuck under the pelvic bone and in the birth canal.
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Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is primarily caused due to a brain injury during childbirth. Cerebral palsy can significantly affect a child’s muscle control, depending on the severity of the injury. It can also cause speech and development delays later.
Bleeding in the brain, medical negligence, stroke, heart attack, fever, infection, etc., can cause a brain injury which would lead the child to face cerebral palsy. You should know that cerebral palsy has no cure. However, several treatments are available for controlling and managing the systems.
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Brain damage
Brain damage is among the most common birth injuries. Brain damage can likely occur when a baby suffers a severe head injury during childbirth. Neurological and physical impairments are a result of damage to the brain.
The baby’s recovery from brain damage is dependent on multiple factors. For instance, the part of the brain that’s affected and the extent of the injury plays a vital role in deciding full recovery. Brain damage in a newborn is generally caused by loss of oxygen, bleeding in the brain, umbilical cord choking, injuries from vacuum extraction, blunt force, etc.
