Parents of children who suffer from preventable birth injuries face astronomical medical costs, difficult therapies, and permanent disabilities. The process of holding medical professionals accountable through medical malpractice lawsuits could reduce the financial burden and bring justice.
To be successful attorneys must prove that hospitals or doctors did not follow accepted standards of care when it came to labor and delivery. This is typically accomplished through an in-depth examination of medical records or expert witness testimony.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral Palsy, also known as cerebral palsy is a permanent handicap caused by a trauma to the central nervous system. It can occur during pregnancy (perinatal), or in early childhood. It can affect a wide range of body movements and its intensity can be moderate to severe. The symptoms may vary according to age, however the condition isn't progressive.
Unlike many other conditions, it is not a testable condition. A thorough and thorough evaluation will help medical professionals determine if the child's condition is caused by cerebral palsy. This includes a full neurologic and mobility evaluation.
The tests will examine the child's muscle tone and balance, and also their reflexes and ability to move. Musculoskeletal examinations can reveal issues like hip dislocations, scoliosis or contractures. A speech and language test will also show the child's development in terms of intellectual ability and their ability to create speech sounds.
Neuroimaging, an imaging that permits doctors to see the brain in greater detail is frequently used in diagnosing Cerebral Palsy. This is a noninvasive method of assessing the extent of brain damage. It is not able to help doctors to predict the impact of the injury on a child's symptoms.
Some children may not be diagnosed with cerebral palsy until several years old as the symptoms can change. The classification of a condition in terms of severity, topographical location, and muscle tone could be helpful in determining the degree of impairment and impacting treatment.
Physical and occupational therapy are the most effective treatment options for Cerebral Palsy. They can aid in improving the mobility of a child and reduce the risk of joint deformities such as scoliosis. Speech therapy and adaptive equipment may aid the child in the daily tasks and help them to be more social with family and others. There are a variety of options for financial aid available based on the specific circumstances that lead to the child's condition. This includes charity groups and foundations that can ease the burden of the cost of a child's treatment and care.
Brachial Plexus Injury
A brachial-plexus injury is the result of an injury lawyers to the five nerves that originate from the spinal cord at the neck and transmit signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm and hand. Each side of the body has a brachial-plexus. Some infants recover without treatment but the majority will benefit from occupational and physical therapy. A smaller percentage of infants may require surgical intervention to achieve satisfactory results.
A doctor is able to diagnose a baby's brachial plexus injuries on the basis of the medical history and physical examination. Doctors can also request special imaging tests like an MRI or CT scan, or nerve conduction studies, although these tests are not as reliable for babies. Doctors can also assess the strength and movement of the muscles of children's arms by performing gentle range of motion exercises that help them track recovery over time.
The symptoms of brachial-plexus injuries differ based on the severity of the injury and the specific nerves affected. The symptoms can include weakness in the arm, poor muscle movement and decreased sensation (feeling) in the hand. Most often, the symptoms affect just one side of the body, but often both sides are affected equally.
Neonatal brachial-plexus palsy (NBPP) is the most frequent cause of birth injuries that affects the brachial plexus however, it can result from other causes. Brachial plexus injuries are more common in large babies, those who are in a breech birth position, or those who have to be pulled during the birth. This kind of injury is also common for athletes who participate in contact sports, such as football, and also from blunt trauma.
NBPP can be diagnosed at an early age, usually within six to eight weeks of birth. The majority of children will heal without intervention, however those that do not improve in a month's time need to be assessed by a specialized team. The teams typically consist comprising an orthopedist for children along with a physiatrist and physical therapy.
Erb's Palsy
The brachial (brake-ee-al) brachial plexus is a group of nerves that runs from the spinal cord to the shoulder and then down the arm and into the hand. If this nerve group are injured during delivery, it can cause weakness or paralysis in the affected arm. Erb's Palsy is the most common kind. It is caused by significant stretching or tearing the upper brachial nerves in delivery.
A physician can diagnose Erb palsy with a physical exam of the baby's hand. The doctor will look for a lack movement in the affected arm, a limp wrist, and a deficiency of Moro reflex (the infant's involuntary reaction to the reduction in head support). The health care provider may also order an imaging or nerve test like an X ray or an electromyogram, or ultrasound, or a study of nerve conduction.
In many cases, Erb's palsy occurs when an inexperienced clinician applies too much lateral pressure to the infant during forceps delivery. This type of traction may be reduced by having the second phase of labor be less invasive or placing the mother on her back for a portion of the delivery. A doctor can also to reduce the risk of this type of injury lawyer by delivering by C-section.
Many other types of brachial plexus injuries may occur in addition to Erb's palsy. Klumpke Palsy is the more severe type of this condition, which involves damage to lower brachial nerves. This kind of injury could be described as "waiter's tips" because the limb is suspended by the side, rotated to the medially and pronated. It also is extended, flexed and flexed at the wrist.
It is crucial to contact a lawyer near me injury, click through the up coming website, for medical malpractice immediately if your child has been diagnosed with any of these issues. Beth has more than 18 years of experience in specialized expertise in labor and birth, and can help determine whether the medical professional who treated your child was negligent and may have led to these injuries that could have been prevented.
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) Also known as hypoxic ischemic brain damage, occurs when a problem during birth reduces the oxygen and blood supply to the newborn. HIE is a serious brain condition that can cause permanent brain damage. HIE's effects can be severe or mild and typically begin within a few weeks of birth. HIE is one of the ailments that fall under a larger group of birth-related injuries known as neonatal encephalopathy (NE).
A baby can develop HIE from complications during labor and delivery, such as excessive bleeding in the mother's blood vessels or a breech birth an extended labor and delivery, or a forceps delivery. The baby's birth weight is low and may be the reason for HIE.
To identify HIE in infants, doctors will examine the infant's APGAR scores and any indications of neurological impairment. A low APGAR score may indicate the need for immediate medical intervention. Doctors may use blood tests to measure the amount of acid that builds up in the umbilical chord, which can indicate that a baby has suffered from an oxygen shortage or decreased blood flow.
If a doctor suspects a child has HIE is a common suspicion, they'll utilize a treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia in order to treat the condition. In this procedure, the infant is placed in a cooling blanket and given medicine to aid in sleep. During cooling, doctors will check the infant's heart rate and body temperature, breathing and brain activity.
After the baby has fully re-warmed, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) will be taken. MRIs are the best injury lawyers method to determine HIE and its pattern of injury. An MRI can provide a time frame for the injury lawsuits, which is useful in determining if the child's symptoms are related to HIE.
After an HIE diagnosis, babies will need to be monitored closely throughout their lives. They'll visit a neonatologist and neurologist, and may undergo physical, speech or occupational therapy to help them cope with their symptoms. The goal is to help these children achieve their full potential and make them as healthy as they can.
