As a Washington mother, you go to the hospital expecting to have a safe delivery. Unfortunately, mistakes happen and negligent staff can complicate matters. Today, we will take a look at Erb’s palsy, a condition that may affect newborn children that doctors delivered improperly.
Ortho Info examines the basics of Erb’s palsy. It is a form of brachial plexus palsy. This is the network of nerves located near the neck that connect to the arms. They provide your arms with movement and feeling from the shoulder to the fingers. If you have a palsy, that means that your condition involves weakness. In other words, Erb’s palsy is a weakening of the nerves that control the arms.
Erb’s palsy is a condition one or two out of every thousand newborn babies suffer from. The most common cause is difficult deliveries. During these deliveries, the person delivering your baby may stretch their neck without intending to do so. This can cause damage to the network of nerves there. The impact can vary depending on the level of damage. The strength used to deliver a baby during delivery directly influences this. Some babies with Erb’s palsy only have a slight weakness in the grip of one hand. Other babies may have total immobility in one or both arms.
Fortunately, Erb’s palsy is often treatable. Your child will have to go through physical therapy. The duration of therapy depends on how severe the initial injury was. As this can be costly, many parents of Erb’s palsy sufferers decide to seek compensation for their damages.