Finding out that you were pregnant was one of the biggest moments of your life. You did everything to enjoy a healthy pregnancy and carry your child to full term. But when the day you waited so long for came, all your anticipation quickly turned into fear and worry upon seeing that your baby had a birth injury.
With 7 in every 1,000 babies born in the United States suffering from a birth injury, you are not alone in this. Hiring a birth injury medical malpractice lawyer in Smyrna is the best thing that you should do. But it’s also very important to know if your child’s birth injury is really the cause of medical malpractice by looking for these signs:
Signs That Suggest a Birth Injury Right After Delivery
- Your baby has difficulty breathing, especially with low oxygen levels right after birth.
- Your baby has a hard time feeding, burping and swallowing.
- Your baby shows physical signs of trauma, including bruises, soft spots, swelling and even fractures.
- Your baby cries loudly and with a high-pitched voice.
- Your baby sleeps excessively and rarely interacts with the people around him.
- Your baby suffers from physical problems like stiff or floppy muscles, arched back when crying and jerky movements.
- Your baby has neurological symptoms like paralysis, deafness and blindness.
Signs That Suggest a Birth Injury Later in Development
- Difficulty meeting milestones like crawling, sitting, standing or walking on his own
- Challenges or delays in speech and cognitive development
- Delays in fine motor skills development, especially in balance and coordination
- Muscles spasms, tremors and other involuntary movements
- Vision, speech and other impairments
- A diagnosis of one or more neurological conditions that are related to a possible birth injury
Many things can lead to a birth injury before, during and after childbirth. For instance, your baby could be in distress during labor, and your doctor didn’t do an emergency section, causing your baby to be deprived of oxygen inside the womb, which led to a birth injury. Poor communication on the side of the medical team can also be a red flag of medical negligence because you have the right to know your condition, the options you have, and of course, the best care possible during childbirth.
There are also instances when medical malpractice happens in the middle of childbirth. Poor monitoring is one of the most common reasons for birth injury, especially in making sure that the baby is healthy and ready for delivery. The improper use of tools is also another common reason for birth injuries in the country because it can lead to different complications like brain trauma, fractures and whatnot.
Going through such a traumatic experience after giving birth can be so stressful. But with the help of competent medical malpractice lawyers, you can get the justice that you and your child deserves. After all, knowing the law and working with the right lawyers can make a huge difference in your circumstances.