Birth Injury Case Evaluation

Children suffering from birth injuries that are preventable face astronomical medical costs, difficult therapies, and permanent disabilities. Holding medical professionals accountable through medical malpractice claims may aid in easing the financial burdens and injury ensure justice.

In order to win the case lawyers must show that doctors or hospitals did not follow accepted standards of care when it came to labor and delivery. This is typically accomplished through a thorough review of medical records, or expert witness testimony.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy, also known as cerebral palsy, is a permanent handicap caused by an injury to the central nervous system. It can happen during pregnancy (perinatal) or during the early years of childhood. It affects a wide range of body movements. It can be mild, moderate or severe in severity. The symptoms can differ based on age, but it is not a progressive condition.

In contrast to other conditions, it is not a testable condition. A thorough and comprehensive evaluation can help medical professionals determine if a child's illness is caused by cerebral palsy. This includes a thorough assessment of mobility and neurological issues.

The tests will examine the child's muscle strength and balance and also their abilities to move and their reflexes. A musculoskeletal examination can identify hip dislocations, scoliosis, and contractures. A speech and language assessment will also reveal a child's intellectual development and their ability to make speech sounds.

Neuroimaging, an imaging that allows doctors to examine the brain in detail, is often used in diagnosing Cerebral Palsy. This is a noninvasive way to determine the severity of brain injury. It does not allow doctors predict the effects of the injury on children's symptoms.

Some children may not be diagnosed with cerebral palsy until several years old because symptoms can change. Despite this however, a classification of a condition based on severity of the condition, topographic distribution and muscle tone is a good way to communicate a child's degree of impairment and influence the treatment.

The most effective treatments for Cerebral Palsy include physical and occupational therapy. They can aid in improving a child's mobility and reduce the chance of developing joint deformities such as scoliosis. In addition, speech therapy and the use of adaptive equipment can assist with the child's daily living activities and allow him or her to be more social with family members and others. There are many options for financial aid based on the circumstances surrounding a child's condition. There are also charitable organizations and foundations that can help alleviate the burden of paying for treatment and medical care.

Brachial Plexus Injury

A brachial plexus injury can be the result of an injury 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. There is a brachial plexus on each side of the body. Some infants with brachial plexus injuries will heal without treatment, but the majority will benefit from occupational and physical therapy. A smaller percentage of infants may require surgery to get excellent results.

A baby who has an injury to the brachial plexus is diagnosed by their primary care physician based on their medical history and physical examination. Doctors can also request special imaging tests like an MRI or a CT scan, or nerve conduction studies however, these tests are less accurate in infants. Doctors can also test the strength and flexibility of the child's muscles in their arms by doing mild range of motion exercises, which helps them track the development of their muscles over time.

The signs and symptoms of a brachial plexus injury vary depending on the severity of the injury and which nerves are affected. The symptoms can include weakness in the arm, a lack of movement of the muscles, and a decrease in sensation (feeling) in the hand. The symptoms usually affect one side of the body, however sometimes both sides are affected equally.

Neonatal brachial plexus syphilis (NBPP) is the most common birth injury that affects the brachial nerve however it could also result from other causes. Brachial plexus injuries are more frequent in babies who are large, who are born in a breech position, or those who are pulled during birth. This type of injury can also occur for athletes who participate in contact sports like football, and also from blunt trauma.

NBPP is an illness that can be identified early, typically within six weeks after birth. The majority of children will recover with no intervention, but those who do not show improvement by a month should be evaluated by a team who can manage the disorder. The teams typically consist comprising a pediatric orthopedist along with a physiatrist and physical therapy.

Erb's Palsy

The brachial plexus (pronounced brake-ee-al) is a collection of nerves that extend from the spinal chord to the shoulder, and down the arm into the hand. If this nerve system becomes injured during delivery, it could cause weakness or paralysis in the affected arm. Erb's palsy is the most commonly reported type. It is caused by a significant stretching or tear of the upper brachial nerves in delivery.

A physician is able to diagnose Erb's paralysis by performing a physical examination of the infant's arm. The doctor will look for a lack of movement in the affected hand as well as a shaky wrist and a decrease in Moro reflexes (the infant's involuntary response to a loss of head support). The health care professional could also request an imaging test, such as an ultrasound or X-ray, or a nerve test such as an electromyogram, or a nerve conduction study.

In many cases, Erb’s palsy is caused when an untrained physician applies too much lateral pressure to the infant during the forceps delivery. This type of traction may be minimized by having the second stage of labor be less time-consuming or by placing the mother on her back for a portion of the delivery. By delivering via C-section, doctors can lower the risk of injury lawsuits.

Other brachial plexus injuries could occur in addition to Erb's palsy. Klumpke Palsy is the most severe type of this condition, which causes damage to the lower brachial nerves. This kind of injury attorney is commonly called a "waiter's tip" posture due to the fact that the limb hangs to the side and is rotated medially bent, pronated and extended at the wrist.

If your child is diagnosed with any of these ailments it is essential to talk with an attorney for medical malpractice immediately. Beth has more than 18 years of specialist expertise in labor and birth and can assist in determining whether your child's doctor committed acts of negligence that may have led to these avoidable injuries.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is also known as hypoxic brain damage, happens when a birth defect reduces the oxygen and blood supply to the newborn. HIE is a serious brain condition that can cause permanent brain damage. The effects of HIE can be severe or mild and usually start within a few weeks of birth. HIE is among the many conditions that belong to a larger group of birth-related injuries called neonatal encephalopathy (NE).

HIE can be caused due to complications during birth and labor. This includes excessive bleeding in the mother's blood vessels as well as forceps delivery, prolonged labor and bleeding excessively. A baby's low birth weight could be a cause of HIE.

To determine if a child has HIE doctors will look at the infant's APGAR score and look for signs of a neurological impairment. A low APGAR score may indicate the need for immediate medical intervention. Doctors can conduct blood tests to determine the buildup of acid in the umbilical cord, which can indicate that a baby might have been suffering from an oxygen deficiency or a decreased flow of blood.

If a doctor suspects the child is suffering from HIE is a common suspicion, they'll employ a treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia to combat the condition. In this procedure, the child is placed under an ice-cold blanket and medicine is given to help them sleep. During the cooling process doctors will continuously monitor the heart rate, breathing state and body temperature, in addition to brain activity.

Once a baby is fully restored to its original temperature and re-warmed, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will be conducted. MRIs are the best way to identify HIE and its particular injury claim lawyer injury, simply click Instructure, pattern. The results of an MRI may reveal an injury lawyers near me time frame which is useful in determining whether the child's symptoms may be caused by HIE.

Following an HIE diagnosis, babies will need to be closely monitored throughout their lives. They'll see a neonatologist and neurologist, and could have physical, speech and occupational therapy to help them deal with their symptoms. The goal is to assist these children achieve their full potential and get as healthy as possible.