What You Need to Know When Your Baby’s Brain Is Injured During Birth
Birth injuries are traumatic, both for the baby and the family. Symptoms of brain injuries vary with each case; sometimes a baby will show signs of a brain injury right away, while others may take years. Diagnosis of a baby brain injury is tricky and requires the help of professionals.
Brain injuries during childbirth can be caused by several things. Neonatal brain injuries are typically caused by excessive force to the baby’s brain or skull and/or lack of oxygen to the brain. Traumatic brain injuries can also occur during birth. A baby’s head can get stuck in the birth canal causing trauma or asphyxiation.
Sometimes these injuries can be due to negligence from the caregiver. If the baby was stuck in the birth canal, the doctor/midwife may have used too much force with the forceps. Another example being if the caregiver failed to recognize complications and still let the mother deliver naturally and labor resulted in a brain injury.
If there is a possibility your child was injured during birth, it’s important to be cognizant of all the potential symptoms.
Immediate symptoms to be aware of:
- Physical symptoms: small head, large forehead, malformed spine
- Discomfort and pain, irritability and excessive crying
- Difficulty sleeping or eating
- Seizures
Delayed physical symptoms to be mindful of:
- Cognitive delays: Difficulty with concentration, focusing, and memory
- Developmental delays: slow to crawl, sit up and walk, struggling with learning tasks like getting dressed and eating alone.
- Behavioral challenges including acting out and impulse control
- Cerebral Palsy characterized by tight muscles and joints, abnormal walking, weak or paralyzed muscles, and muscle spasms or tremors.
If you believe your child suffered a brain injury during birth, we’re here to help. Our team has been fighting for families since 1990. We are experienced and understand the complexity of the injury and stand ready to seek justice for your family. Contact us today to begin your free case evaluation.