Labor and delivery can be dangerous processes for an expectant mother and her baby. Small issues can cause devastating consequences during the birth process. In some cases, the newborn may acquire birth injuries because of the choices made by medical professionals or their negligence while monitoring the labor.
Babies might develop conditions ranging from Erb’s palsy to eye trauma and cerebral palsy. Those birth injuries may require extensive medical interventions. Families may face a more complex newborn stage and drastically increased lifetime medical costs after a baby acquires a birth injury.
What kinds of treatment do medical professionals typically provide for birth injury cases?
The diagnosis determines the treatment
The specific birth injury that an infant sustains determines what treatment they need to undergo. In some cases, infants may require immediate trauma care. A scenario involving injuries caused to the face or the eyes by forceps delivery may require immediate acute care. Infants with broken bones may need a professional to set the bone and apply a cast to keep it aligned while it heals.
Other times, it may be several days or even longer before symptoms start to develop. Erb’s palsy may only become obvious once the baby starts actively moving its arms. The infant may require physical therapy and regular exercises to help overcome the traumatic injury sustained during birth and ensure healthy development.
Some minor birth injuries only require minimal intervention initially and may then largely heal on their own. Others may lead to a lifetime of support needs. A child with cerebral palsy may require physical and speech therapy. They may require assistive technology such as crutches or wheelchairs. In some cases, children born with cerebral palsy require medication to help reduce their risk of seizures and other symptoms that could affect their daily lives.
The care costs of treating or managing a birth injury can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. Provided that there is a clear connection between medical negligence or mistakes and the birth injury, it may be possible to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Parents can seek to recover medical expenses and lost wages if they need to stay home to provide support for their child with a birth injury. Studying medical records and treatment plans can help families choose the best path forward after a birth injury complicates what should be a joyful experience.