A very significant number of babies are born with birth injuries.
Though these injuries are usually small and unnoticeable, they can affect a baby’s development.
A baby’s brain is already developing rapidly, which means that these injuries can cause long-term effects.
This article will look at the common birth injuries and their causes.
1. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH)
A baby’s brain is quite soft and pliable, yet the skull is strong. A baby’s skull has been solidified during fetal development.
The brain is surrounded by a substance called meninges which are essentially a covering for the brain.
Their purpose is to protect the brain from injury. Intraventricular hemorrhage occurs when some small blood vessels in the brain rupture, causing bleeding inside the brain itself.
This bleeding may cause the formation of a blood clot, and this causes the intracranial pressure or the pressure in and around your baby’s brain to increase.
The condition is considered a medical emergency as it can cause severe brain damage if left untreated.
2. Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to your baby’s brain that occurs before birth. It’s usually caused by some injury during delivery or while still in the womb.
Cerebral palsy is characterized by weak muscle tone, abnormal posture and movement, and delayed development.
3. Intracranial hemorrhage
This is a specific type of bleeding inside the skull that happens after labor.
It’s usually the consequence of a child being in the breech position just before birth.
When a baby is in a breech position, its head can be forced back against its mother’s pelvic bones, which can cause cracking of the baby’s skull.
These cracks increase the risk of bleeding inside the skull.
4. Intraventricular hemorrhage
This is a specific type of bleeding inside the skull that happens after labor. It’s usually the consequence of a child being in the breech position just before birth.
When a baby is in a breech position, its head can be forced back against its mother’s pelvic bones, which can cause cracking of the baby’s skull.
These cracks increase the risk of bleeding inside the skull.
5. Cerebral hemorrhage
This is a specific type of bleeding inside the skull that happens after labor. It’s usually the consequence of a child being in the breech position just before birth.
When a baby is in a breech position, its head can be forced back against its mother’s pelvic bones, which can cause cracking of the baby’s skull.
These cracks increase the risk of bleeding inside the skull.
6. Brain injury in newborn babies
Newborn babies have fragile skulls, and a substantial part of their brain is unprotected by bone.
Things like shaking, slipping, falling and other kinds of trauma can cause bleeding in the brain. S
ome newborns are more vulnerable to such dangers than others. Those who have low birth weights or were born prematurely are more vulnerable than full-term babies.
Infants affected by maternal diabetes in their mothers may also be at risk due to their higher level of vulnerability.
Birth trauma injury lawyers can help parents who have had newborns who were victims of injuries such as these.
Conclusion
In most cases, it’s hard to prove that an infant’s injuries were caused by a doctor or other medical professional’s negligence.
This is because patients assume the risk of any medical mistake or oversight when they get treatment from a healthcare provider or hospital.
The only exception to this rule may be when doctors fail to follow necessary protocols and procedures.