Understanding the Warning Signs of an Infant Brain Injury: Our Portland Birth Injury Lawyers Share Shocking Information
Giving birth is one of the most difficult and trying times that a family may go through. All families want their newborn to be healthy. And most labor and deliveries go without an issue yielding a beautiful and healthy child. However, some instances of childbirth do not always end as happily. We have all heard stories of prolonged labor, emergency c-sections, and other complications during birth. But even then, most children appear to be born healthy—or initially. This is because infant brain injuries can be incredibly difficult to detect and diagnose. This is particularly true of more subtle injuries which may cause speech delays or other cognitive delays that are not immediately apparent at birth. The faster that these injuries could be detected, the faster and more likely that treatment will be helpful and have a positive outcome. This is why our Portland birth injury lawyers share these important warning signs of an infant brain injury to help families better protect their rights and their loved one’s life.
Warning Signs of an Infant Brain Injury
There are many warning signs of an infant brain injury, but they are all usually very subtle. The best warning sign is that innate feeling that a parent has—even a new or first time parent—that something is wrong with their child. This is because infants do not necessarily manifest brain injuries like children or adults, as they are not talking, walking, or otherwise very coordinated or active. But there are some important warning signs which include the following:
- Change in an infant’s eating or nursing habits, including conduct, amount taken, schedule, and latching on
- Irritability, especially easy irritation or unusual irritation
- Screaming or persistent crying for no apparent reason and consoling does not help
- Change in sleeping habits, including sleeping for much longer than expected or much less
- Seizures or other epileptic episodes
- Sad or depressed moods
- Jumpiness or alertness to sounds or stimuli
- Drowsiness or weak interaction
- Loss of interest in toys or activities, and
- Other odd or abnormal factors.
Was Your Child Diagnosed With Any of These Brain Injuries? It Could be Due to Oregon Medical Malpractice
There are many types of brain injuries which could be caused by Oregon medical malpractice and result in serious birth injuries. Each to the warning signs of an infant brain injury could cause these types of birth injuries. The most common and devastating types of brain injuries and effects include the following:
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy – also known as HIE, this condition causes brain damage when there is a decrease in oxygen to the brain due to a decrease flow of blood to the brain. it is this blood flow which carries oxygen to the brain. This could be caused by excessive contractions, pressure on the umbilical cord, damage to the umbilical cord, or other injuries resulting in difficulty for the baby to receive a constant supply of blood from the mother or up through the baby’s neck. HIE is a very devastating condition and is generally the most common type of injury that could occur.
- Cerebral palsy – the CDC define cerebral palsy as “a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture.” Also known as CP, this is a condition that is caused by damage to the brain due to a lack of oxygen supply while the brain is rapidly developing. This is usually during the labor and delivery process but could also be caused after birth in the early months. When the brain is rapidly developing, it needs high amounts of oxygenation blood to help it properly grow. When the brain does not get the proper amount of oxygen, it can result in damage to this rapid growth. This growth becomes a lesion which is essentially scar tissue or dead tissue. That tissue will not develop normally and present a lapse or gap in the brain. CP is caused when these lesions are formed on the cerebellum or basil ganglia. Cerebral palsy is not curable and is irreversible.
- Kernicterus – yellowing of the skin and eyes, or jaundice, is normal in a baby for a few hours or even a day. However, when that jaundice does not go away for days or even a week, it could be due to kernicterus. This is a devastating condition that could result in permanent brain damage. This is because kernicterus is caused by a bilirubin buildup in the blood which can become toxic and damaging, especially to the developing brain.
- Development delays – when brain trauma caused by lack of oxygen, chemical damage, physical trauma with extraction tools, and other types of damages, children could experience developmental delays and cognitive defects.
Does Your Child Have Any of These Warning Signs? Or Was Your Child Diagnosed With Any of These Conditions? Ask our Portland Birth Injury Lawyers for Help
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.
