The birth of a child is an exciting moment full of joy, hope, and love. Sometimes, this momentous occasion can be suddenly upended when the newborn experiences a serious birth injury. THese injuries can have a profound impact on the entire family: the child, parents, siblings, and even extended family.
Sadly, about 27,000 children experience an injury at birth every year. While most of these traumatic births are unavoidable, nearly half are the result are caused by a mistake on the part of medical professionals. If you’ve been through a birth that resulted in an injury to the baby, it can be hard to know what to do, but taking the right steps can help your child have the best possible future.
Working with a qualified and experienced birth injury attorney will help guide families and children through the entire process and receive the support and justice they deserve.
Step One: Birth Injury Signs to Look Out For
The first step in dealing with a traumatic birth injury is knowing the warning signs. Warning signs can be physical, behavioral, or developmental and may be apparent shortly after birth or may appear slowly over time.
Physical signs include:
- Swelling or bruising on the head or face
- Difficult or irregular breathing
- Muscle weakness
- Problems with feeding or swallowing
Behavioral signs often manifest as excessive crying to express pain or discomfort. The child may also sleep excessively or be hard to wake.
Developmental issues include delayed milestones like rolling over or sitting up or issues with learning or communicating.
Step Two: Get Medical Attention and Care
If your child is exhibiting one or more warning signs above, your immediate response should be a medical evaluation. Contact your pediatrician and discuss your concerns and observations. Follow up with any tests the doctor orders and specialist referrals. Visit the closest emergency room, urgent care, or hospital if the child experiences acute symptoms, such as issues breathing, that put their health in serious jeopardy.
Step Three: Ask Lots of Questions
Parents should take an active in their child’s care. They should ask plenty of questions during diagnosis and care, including about the specific injury, long and short-term effects, and options for and what to expect from treatment. Ask for more information or clarification when needed as parents need a full and clear picture of the situation.
Step Four: Collect Documentation and Evidence
Collecting medical records and evidence is a vital step after diagnosis, especially if the warning signs show later. Contact the medical center where the birth took place to get the full record of the birth. Include all prenatal care, notes on the labor and delivery, and postnatal files. Keep notes on all the conversions with the pediatrician including questions you asked and the doctor’s responses.
Finally take pictures and videos of the baby’s symptoms for your records.
Step Five: Consult an Experienced Birth Injury Attorney
If you think your baby’s birth injury is the result of a medical mistake, contact a law firm that specializes in that field. An experienced attorney can evaluate your situation to determine where liability lies and assess the compensation you’re entitled to help provide for your baby’s care. They will also help guide you though the legal process and take on the hospital’s lawyers and insurance company to free you to focus on your child’s care.
Going through a traumatic birth that results in an injury is one of every parent’s worst fears. But taking quick action can result in a prompt diagnosis and care plan the child needs. Working with a qualified birth injury attorney can help ensure the child receives the justice, compensation, and care it deserves.
