Every expectant parent looks forward to a stress-free pregnancy and a healthy baby during delivery. As an expectant parent, you leave nothing to chance to ensure that your baby is healthy both during the pregnancy period and after giving birth. But despite a parent’s best efforts, it is not uncommon for a child to end up with brain injury.
Most brain injuries take months or even years to accurately diagnose. However, here are some signs you need to look out for if you suspect that your child has sustained brain injuries at birth:
- An abnormally sized or shaped head
- Limb paralysis or stiffness of motion
- Facial paralysis
- Vision problems
Infant brain injury can be devastating, to say the least. If your baby sustains an injury to the brain as a result of a healthcare provider’s negligence, you may hold them accountable through a birth injury claim. But how do brain injuries happen at birth in the first place?
Understanding the causes of brain injuries
Most healthcare providers are competent professionals. However, the process of birthing a baby can be quite complex and the use of certain techniques and equipment can increase the risk of injury to the infant’s brain. Some of the leading causes of brain injury include:
- A delay in C-section that leads to oxygen deprivation
- Improper use of birthing tools like vacuum extractors and forceps
- Failure to monitor the infant’s glucose and oxygen levels
- Failure to monitor the infant’s death rate
- Failure to treat infections in the mother
Generally, most brain injuries boil down to the healthcare provider’s failure to live up to their duty of care.
Infant brain damage is every parent’s worst nightmare. If your baby is showing signs of brain damage, you need to seek medical attention immediately. And if this damage has something to do with a healthcare provider’s negligence, you deserve justice on behalf of your little bundle of joy.