What Are Birth Injuries?
No one wants to think of the possibility of their newborn obtaining an injury when they make their entrance into the world. Birth injuries are physical damage that typically occurs when a baby enters the birth canal or after delivery. There is a broad spectrum of different types of birth injuries that can occur, and sometimes it’s not just the baby that becomes the victim. Mothers, too, can suffer from birth injuries if medical professionals fail to perform the proper care. It is not uncommon for babies to undergo a mild form of birth injury during the delivery process. There are a lot of tools and practices that can accidentally injure a newborn, but then there are instances where the lack of professional medical care can negatively impact the child’s well-being. If not treated immediately, some birth injuries can cause life-altering disabilities, such as a lack of oxygen. Brain injuries babies sustain during childbirth can also lead to a wide range of physical and mental impairments that can leave families to cope emotionally and drown in a heap of medical bills. Additionally, this can completely change a child’s quality of life.Common Types of Birth Injuries
Not only are these birth injuries physical, but they can also lead to serious emotional disturbances as well. There are many common types of birth injuries newborns can experience and some can occur after the baby has been delivered. Common types of birth injuries include:- Cerebral Palsy
- Brachial Palsy
- Erb’s Palsy
- Facial Paralysis
- Fractures
- Kernicterus
- Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
- Brain bleeding
- Hydrocephalus
- Trauma
- Infections
- More
Causes of Birth Injuries
So, what causes these birth injuries? They can happen in many ways, but they all tend to stem from medical negligence and/or the forceful or wrongful care performed upon the child. Some birth injuries such as scalpel scrapes and bruising can occur when a doctor is trying to guide the baby out of the birth canal, and these injuries can heal on their own. However, the more complex birth injuries occur when there are issues going on with the baby that doctors fail to recognize quickly, which can lead to severe and permanent defects. When a birth injury occurs, you never know when it can be severe and life-changing. Let’s look at certain causes more specifically:- Cerebral Palsy – this injury stems from abnormal brain development, which can happen at birth if there are umbilical cord problems, placenta problems, lack of treatment to the brain, or a wide range of other factors.
- Brachial Palsy – this attacks the nerves that help move the fingers and arms. Brachial Palsy occurs when there’s trouble delivering the baby’s shoulder during birth.
- Erb’s Palsy – this is similar to Brachial Palsy in the sense that it delays the movement of the baby’s hand, arm, and shoulder. It occurs when there’s significant pulling of the neck during delivery.
- Kernicterus – this injury is a permanent brain injury and can cause Cerebral Palsy. It’s where an excess of bilirubin is found in the baby’s blood when Jaundice is not taken care of properly.
- Hydrocephalus – this is extra fluid in the brain that can be treated if found in time.
Treatment for Birth Injuries
Some birth injuries have treatments to help the baby improve, but that doesn’t ignore the hardship that treatments can bring. Not only is this unexpected and shouldn’t have occurred in the first place, but it can also place more emotional and financial strain on families. Treatments for some birth injuries can include:- Surgeries – this is not what the parent of a newborn wants to hear after their child has experienced a birth injury, but some injuries will require surgery in order to heal. Most surgeries are for severe injuries pertaining to the brain, skull fractures, or other complex occurrences.
- Physical Therapy – this treatment might be an option when the baby sustains an injury such as Brachial or Erb’s Palsy where movements are delayed. Physical Therapy can help the baby retain their movement over a period of time.
- Medication – this is the most basic treatment but still has the potential to be costly. However, some medications can speed up the healing process of a birth injury.
- Hypothermia – this particular treatment is geared towards babies suffering from a brain birthing injury. This is where the baby is cooled to 92 degrees for 2 days to try and reverse the damage.
- Other treatments – there may be other forms of treatment as the baby grows older to help them learn and develop intellectually and emotionally.
