Birth Injury Case Evaluation

Children with unavoidable birth injuries are faced with astronomical medical bills, daunting therapies and permanent disabilities. Holding medical professionals accountable through medical malpractice lawsuits could aid in easing the financial burden and bring justice.

To win a claim lawyers must prove that the hospitals or doctors did not follow accepted standards of care during labor and delivery. This is usually accomplished through extensive review of medical records and expert witness testimony.

Cerebral Palsy

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

Like many other conditions it is not testable. A thorough and thorough evaluation will help medical professionals determine if a child's condition is caused by cerebral palsy. This includes a complete neurological and mobility assessment.

The tests will look at the child's muscle tone, posture and balance, reflexes, capacity to move, and other aspects that affect a child's mobility. Musculoskeletal exams can reveal hip dislocations, scoliosis, and contractures. A speech and language assessment will also show a child's intellectual development as well as their capacity to create speech sounds.

Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed using neuroimaging which allows doctors to view the brain in detail. It is a noninvasive method to determine the severity of brain injury. However, it does not permit doctors to predict the effect of that injury on the child's symptoms.

Some children may not be diagnosed with cerebral palsy until they are several years old as the symptoms can vary. Despite this however, a classification of a condition based on its severity, topographical distribution and muscle tone is useful as a way to communicate a child's degree of impairment and influence treatment.

The most effective treatment options for Cerebral Palsy include physical and occupational therapy. These therapies can help improve the mobility of children and decrease their risk of developing joint deformities, such as scoliosis. Speech therapy and adaptive equipment can assist the child with his or her daily activities and enable him or her to be more social with family and others. There are a variety of financial aid options available depending on the specific circumstances that lead to the child's condition. There are also charities and foundations that can ease the burden of paying for medical treatment and care.

Brachial Plexus Injury

A brachial plexus injury is the result of an injury to the five nerves that branch off 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 is covered by a brachial-plexus. Some infants recover without treatment, however the majority will benefit from occupational and physical therapy. A smaller group of infants may require surgery to get satisfactory results.

A baby who has a brachial plexus injury can be diagnosed by their primary physician in light of their medical history and physical exam. A doctor can order special imaging tests, such as an MRI, CT scan or nerve conduction studies, however these tests are not as accurate for infants. Doctors can also test the strength and movement of the muscles of children's arms by doing gentle range of motion exercises, which helps them track recovery over time.

The symptoms of a plexus injury vary depending on the severity of the injury and the nerves are affected. The symptoms include a weak hand muscles, a reduced range of motion and a decrease in sensation in the hand. The symptoms usually affect one side of the body, but sometimes both sides are affected equally.

Neonatal brachial-plexus palsy (NBPP) is the most common cause of a birth injury that affects the brachial nerve however it could also be caused by other causes. Babies who are obese or have a breech position or are forced to pull during delivery could be at a higher risk of suffering from a brachial injury lawyer near me. This kind of injury is also common for athletes who engage in contact sports like football, as well as from blunt trauma.

NBPP can be identified at an early age, usually within six to eight weeks following birth. Most children recover without treatment, but those who don't improve in a month's time need to be evaluated by a team of experts. These teams are typically made up of a pediatric orthopedist along with a physiatrist and physical therapist.

Erb's Palsy

The brachial (brake-ee-al) the plexus is a group of nerves that run from the spinal cord to the shoulder and then down the arm into the hand. If this nerve system becomes damaged during delivery, it can cause weakness or paralysis of the affected arm. The most common type of this injury is Erb's palsy. It is caused by significant stretching or tear of the upper brachial plexus nerves in labor and delivery.

A physician can diagnose Erb's palsy through a physical examination of the infant's arm. The health care provider will be looking for a lack of movement in the affected arm, a weak wrist and lack of Moro reflex (the baby's involuntary response to the reduction in head support). The health care professional could also order an imaging or nerve test like an X-ray, an ultrasound, or an electromyogram or study of nerve conduction.

In many cases, Erb's Palsy is caused by an unexperienced doctor applying too much lateral traction to the baby during a forceps delivery. This type of traction can be decreased by using the shorter second stage of labor or by having the mother lie on her back during part of the delivery. A doctor can help reduce the risk of injury by giving birth via C-section.

Other brachial plexus injury is possible in addition to Erb's Palsy. Klumpke palsy is a more severe form of this condition that involves injury attorney to the lower brachial plexus nerves. This type of injury is usually described as 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 one of these ailments, it is important to consult an injurys attorney near me for medical malpractice right away. Beth has more than 18 years of experience in labor and birth and can help determine if the doctor who treated your child committed acts of negligence which may have caused these preventable injuries.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is a condition that occurs when a birth issue restricts oxygen and blood flow to the baby. HIE is a serious illness that can lead to permanent severe brain damage. The effects of HIE can range from mild to extreme, and usually start within a few days of birth. HIE is one of the conditions that fall into a larger group of birth-related injuries known as neonatal encephalopathy (NE).

HIE can be caused by complications during birth and labor. These can include excessive bleeding in the mother’s blood vessels, forceps delivery, prolonged labor, and excessive bleeding. A baby's weight loss could be a cause of HIE.

To determine if there is HIE in infants, doctors look at the infant's APGAR scores as well as any signs of neurological impairment. A low APGAR could suggest the need for immediate medical attention. Doctors can use blood tests to determine the buildup of acid in the umbilical chord, which can indicate that a baby may have been suffering from an oxygen deficiency or decreased blood flow.

If a child is believed to be suffering from HIE doctors often attempt to treat it with the treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia. In this method, the child is placed under a cooling blanket, and medication is administered to help them sleep. During cooling, doctors will monitor the infant's heart rate, body temperature, breathing and brain activity.

After the baby is fully re-warmed a magnetic resonance image (MRI) will be performed. MRIs are the best method to identify HIE and its specific Injury (blogfreely.Net) pattern. The results of an MRI may reveal an injury time frame which is useful when trying to determine whether the child's symptoms are due to HIE.

After an HIE diagnosis newborns will have to be closely monitored throughout their lives. They'll see a pediatrician as well as a neurologist, and they may undergo physical, speech or occupational therapy to help them deal with their symptoms. The goal is to make these children as healthy as possible and help them achieve their full potential.