How Brain Injuries Happen
During a normal birth, the doctor exerts gentle pressure on the baby as the delivery process takes place. Since a child’s head is usually the first body part to enter the birth canal, it unfortunately often bears the majority of impact. While mild swelling and bruising are common in newborns, excessive force can cause severe brain damage. Any action that restricts blood flow to a baby’s brain is careless can also cause devastating brain damage and may be considered medical malpractice.
Signs of a Brain Injury
Brain injuries may be difficult to diagnose, especially when the symptoms appear gradually. A baby who appears normal when you leave the hospital may begin to exhibit abnormal behavior at home. If your child has trouble focusing their eyes on you or objects, it can be a sign that brain function has been compromised. Other signs that your child may be at risk include jaundiced skin, breathing irregularities, sleeping problems, feeding and weight gain problems, ill temperament, lethargy, abnormal body temperature, small head size, and developmental delays. Parents who notice any of these symptoms should seek medical care immediately.
Effects of Brain Injury
Doctors, nurses, and other medical staff should know that babies are delicate and susceptible to brain injury. When they fail to take the proper precautions against head trauma, a child can become severely disabled for life. Brain injuries can cause organ failure, neurological problems, paralysis, and many of the other unthinkable health problems listed below.
Effects of brain injury include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Paralysis
- Mental retardation
- Hearing loss, vision problems, and other sensory difficulties
- Jaundice
- Physical dysfunction
- Developmental delays and difficulties
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Anemia
- Organ failure
If your child has been injured due to a medical professional’s wrongdoing, an experienced birth injury legal team will study your case and work hard to reveal the short and long-term effects of the injury. Once your attorneys have an idea of the extent of brain damage, they can work with life care planners to estimate the cost of your child’s special needs during their lifetime.
To learn more about birth brain injury and your child’s safety, please contact the Goldwater Law Firm, PC today.
