Physical injuries that occur during childbirth are known as birth injuries. They can affect either the mother or the baby.
In this post, we will look at the signs, symptoms, treatment, and recovery for babies that experience birth injuries.
Common Birth Injuries
There are lots of different types of birth injuries that can be caused by various factors.
Some of the most common birth injuries to babies include:
- Bruising, which can be caused by passing through the birth canal and contacting the mother’s pelvic bones and tissue, delivery via vacuum extraction, and forceps that doctors use for delivery.
- Brachial palsy, which can happen when nerves in the arms and hands are injured.
- Caput succedaneum, which refers to significant swelling of the soft tissue in a baby’s scalp and which can develop as a baby travels through the birth canal.
- Facial paralysis, which can be caused by pressure on a baby’s face and which injures the facial nerve.
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage, which is caused by small blood vessels breaking in a baby’s eyes.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of birth injuries will widely vary depending on the precise type of injury.
Some birth injuries aren’t even easy to identify, and some injuries do not become apparent until a long time after the birth.
However, doctors and parents should look out for initial signs and symptoms of birth injuries like:
- Bruising, abrasion, or swelling on the baby’s face, head, or shoulders.
- Failure to breathe properly immediately after being delivered.
- Limp or loose arms, which is an indication of a lack of muscle tone.
- Seizures that happen within forty-eight hours of birth.
When such signs and symptoms are present during or after the delivery, the doctor should identify the issues and work quickly to minimize further damage from occurring.
However, sometimes doctors fail to recognize the immediate signs of a birth injury and therefore fail to take the appropriate action. If that happens, the doctor could be held responsible for medical malpractice.
If you find yourself in a situation in which your baby is injured during or after delivery, or an injury worsens due to malpractice during birth, you should contact a birth injury lawyer to explore your legal options.
You could hold the doctor to account and gain compensation.
Sometimes, signs of birth injuries do not develop until late in the baby’s development. So, parents should always keep a careful eye on potential symptoms during their child’s development.
For instance, you should seek medical advice if:
- One-month-old babies suckle or feed slowly, have stiff or loose limbs, or don’t blink when bright lights shine in their eyes,
- Three-month-old babies can’t grasp or hold objects, don’t respond to loud noises, or can’t push down with their legs when their feet are on firm surfaces.
- Seven-month-old babies can’t sit up without assistance, seem stiff, or appear floppy.
- One-year-old babies can’t crawl or stand or can’t say single words like “mama” and “dada.”
Treatment and Recovery
With the right treatment, it’s possible for babies to recover from birth injuries.
However, treatment and recovery very much depend on the type of birth injury and the prescribed treatment. Not all birth injuries are recoverable.
If your baby suffers a birth injury, you should always follow the treatment that your doctor recommends for the specific type of injury.
Those treatments could potentially include:
- Using adaptive equipment like orthotics, strollers, and braces, for babies with mobility issues.
- Taking medications for conditions like epilepsy, ADHD, and conditions that affect the muscles.
- Adopting types of physical therapy to help strengthen muscles, improve mobility, and regain control of voluntary movement.
- Having speech therapy for children who have issues with their oral muscles or mental disabilities.
- Undergoing surgery for children with severe mobility issues or spine problems.