Common Forms of Upper Body and Head Trauma During the Birthing Process

 Posted on June 25, 2021 in Birth Injury

Many birth injuries to infants are related to complications with prolonged or induced labor, health complications with the mother, or the child’s lack of oxygen. However, some injuries are the result of direct physical trauma to the child during extraction.

These injuries commonly affect a child’s head, neck, spine, and upper body, and they tend to be more common when doctors use vacuum extraction or forceps to assist with the delivery. If your child has suffered one of the following traumatic injuries, the Birth Injury Law Alliance can help you determine how to proceed.

Birth Injuries to the Head and Upper Body

All of the following injuries can occur due to trauma during childbirth:

• Skull fractures - Minor skull fractures often heal without complications. However, more serious fractures, including depressed fractures that compress the brain, can lead to brain damage and long-term health conditions.
• External hemorrhaging - Hemorrhaging outside of the skull may occur due to the rupturing of blood vessels or the separation of soft tissue from bone. Complications can include excessive bleeding that may be fatal, as well as deformities and infections.
• Internal hemorrhaging - Internal hemorrhaging occurs within the brain, often due to a skull fracture. Without prompt treatment, it can quickly cause severe brain damage.
• Facial injuries - Improper use of forceps can cause lacerations to the face and eyes, which may result in permanent scarring or loss of vision.
• Nerve injuries - Excessive pressure on the nerves during childbirth can have lasting consequences for the child’s mobility and sensation. Some of the most common nerve injuries occur in the brachial plexus, affecting the child’s shoulder, arm, and hand. Facial nerve injuries are also possible due to trauma to the head.
• Spinal cord injuries - Severe injuries can occur if a child’s spinal cord is rotated excessively or unnaturally in an attempted extraction. These injuries can affect mobility and bodily functions, and they often prove fatal.
• Bone injuries - In addition to the skull, the clavicle (collar bone) and the humerus in the upper arm are also common locations for fracture injuries due to birth trauma. Healing complications can lead to deformities and limited mobility.

If your child experiences a traumatic injury, it is important to understand the circumstances that caused it. An attorney can help you investigate the situation and work with medical experts to determine whether the injuries were caused by medical negligence. If so, you may be able to claim substantial compensation.

Contact a Chicago Birth Injury Attorney

At Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd., we strive to provide parents with the resources they need after their child has suffered a birth injury, including skilled legal representation in medical negligence cases. We offer a free consultation when you call us at 312-462-4200. Contact our Illinois birth injury lawyers today for help.

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539831/