Immediate Signs of a Birth Injury

The birth of a child is one of the most special occasions in any parents life. Tragically, sometimes things go wrong during birth. If you feel that something went wrong during the birth of your child, sometimes that hunch is right. Understanding the immediate signs of a birth injury can help you understand what happened.

Many birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice every year. There are a number of things that can go wrong during labor and delivery. If you or a loved one has been affected by a birth injury, the medical malpractice lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can help you file a claim for compensation.

About Birth Injuries

Birth injuries are often caused by complications experienced by a mother and child during labor and delivery. Many of the signs of a birth injury are apparent right away. Sometimes the signs of a birth injury are not apparent right away and instead are diagnosed during the child’s first few months or years of development.

Signs of Birth Injuries During Labor and Delivery

When a birth injury is caused by medical malpractice, it may be the result of failure to appropriately manage a complication during pregnancy or delivery. Here are a few signs that a serious complication may have occurred during labor and delivery:

Separation of the placenta from the uterine wall – This can cause bleeding in the mother and deprive the infant of oxygen.

• Prolapsed umbilical cord – When the umbilical cord exits the mothers body before the infant, oxygen and blood flow may be disrupted.
• Nuchal umbilical cord – When the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the baby’s neck, this can cause oxygen deprivation and may require an emergency C-section.
• Fetal distress during birth – Fetal distress is an indicator that something is wrong. Failure to properly monitor and treat fetal distress can cause birth injuries such as oxygen deprivation.

Not all of these symptoms mean that the infant has suffered from a permanent injury, especially if a complication was diagnosed quickly. Many problems that commonly arise during labor are preventable or treatable. Failure to properly manage birth complications can have devastating consequences for both mother and child.

Signs of Birth Injuries in Newborns

Sometimes the signs of a birth injury are apparent during a child’s first few hours or days of life. Some of the immediate signs of a birth injury include the following:

• Paralysis
• Fractures
• Cuts and abrasions
• Seizures
• Limp limbs
• Stiff muscle tone resulting in a rigid appearance
• Weak muscle tone
• High-pitched crying
• Difficulty eating or sleeping

Some birth injuries are minor and will resolve quickly with minimally invasive treatment. Tragically, some birth injuries can cause life-threatening conditions, permanent disability, and potentially even death. Even if a doctor’s actions did not cause the injury, failure to properly manage and treat birth trauma is also medical malpractice, particularly when this leads to a worse outcome for the infant.

Developmental Signs of Birth Injuries

Sometimes birth injuries go unnoticed until a child has failed to reach a developmental milestone. For many parents, diagnosis of a birth injury during a child’s development can come as a shock. Failure to diagnose a birth injury in time for appropriate treatment and management may be a form of medical malpractice, even if the medical provider was not present during the child’s birth.

Sometimes signs of a birth injury may appear as soon as a few weeks or months into a baby’s development. Early developmental signs of a birth injury include the following:

• Difficulty nursing or nursing slowly
• Failure to blink when a light is shined into the baby’s eyes
• Difficulty with movement
• Lack of response to loud sounds
• Inability to hold head up, grasp objects, or roll over after several months of development
• Inability to speak or walk after one year of development

Every case is unique. After a thorough review of a child’s records, an attorney with experience handling medical negligence cases will be able to advise you about the best way to proceed with your case. Birth trauma cases can be quite complex and may require analysis of records from both a mother and child from the last several years.

Have You Been Affected By a Birth Injury? Call Kisling, Nestico & Redick Today

Has your child been diagnosed with a birth injury? Maybe you feel that a doctor did something wrong during the delivery of your child, but you aren’t sure what happened or who to ask for help. The experienced medical negligence lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick stand ready to assist you with filing a claim for compensation. Birth injury cases are usually quite complex, so it’s important to have an experienced attorney assist you with your case. Contact us through our online contact form to schedule a consultation for more information.