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Did a birth injury cause your child harm?

Apr 7, 2020 | Medical Malpractice

Giving birth is a natural process that the human body can withstand. With all the technical and medical advancements in the last few decades, the rate of infant and maternal birth fatalities has decreased. However, this does not mean parents should not question the way a doctor handled the birth and the resulting injuries to the baby. Here are some common signs that a doctor or other medical professional made a mistake that resulted in harm to your baby during birth.

Outward signs

A baby is unable to communicate, and as such, it is up to the parents to find clues as to any ailments. Immediately after birth, a child who has suffered an injury during childbirth may have a difficult time latching to feed or sucking in general. A child who has a shrill cry or arches the back when crying may do so out of pain somewhere in the body. Visible signs of an injury may manifest as bruising, limbs that look out of place and inability to move part of the body.

Health-related symptoms

Internal symptoms of an injury may not manifest immediately. Once they do, a medical professional may associate them with another condition, not necessarily birth. For example, a change in your child’s vision or hearing may signal a problem with the brain. Breathing problems that develop years later may wind up tracing back to birth. You must maintain records of any issues that came up at birth to help reach a proper diagnosis in the future.

Communicating with your baby’s doctor is crucial to diagnosing a birth injury, especially one that does not become clear right after birth. Understanding that subtle clues may point to a misstep at birth may help your child recover or receive the treatment required.