When someone hears that someone suffers a traumatic brain injury, he usually conjures up an image of some horrible car accident, a violent head-offender or a serious sports accident. This rarely evokes the image of a precious newborn swaddled in a bass guitar. But parents of 8,000 babies born in the United States understand otherwise.
Although often not detected immediately at birth, 70 percent of children with cerebral palsy are born with the factors that cause it. Another 20% develop it because of the trauma that occurs during childbirth. Only 10 percent of children with cerebral palsy develop it as a result of postpartum injury (known as “acquired cerebral palsy”), for example, from infections caused by bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or from a traumatic head injury.
There is no specific cause of cerebral palsy, but the study revealed a list of factors that are known to cause cerebral palsy. Some of them are natural occurrences or unavoidable accidents, while others can be attributed to the negligence of both the medical staff and the mother.
1) Neonatal encephalopathy, birth asphyxia - the harmful lack of oxygen for the fetus. brain
2) Bridge delivery - when the fetus presents itself for delivery in any position other than the head
3) Maternal intrauterine infections, such as herpes, measles, rubella, cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis
4) Jaundice in infant or Rh incompatibility with the mother
5) With intubation stroke
6) Preterm birth / low birth weight (babies up to 3 pounds 5 ounces have a 25 times higher chance of getting CP)
7) Maternal substance abuse (alcohol, cigarettes, maternal malnutrition, cocaine)
Let's look at the 20 percent that are the result of the birth process, because in a large percentage of these cases the injury was preventable. At this stage it is also important to note that cerebral palsy as a result of the problem with the delivery of the infant is less than 1% of the time.
Congenital cerebral palsy can be the result of any number of errors that can occur during childbirth and the delivery process. Some of these errors include the inability to monitor or correctly read the traces of the fetal heart monitor (FHM), the inability to adequately report or translate FHM results among medical personnel, the inability to respond to FHM for the time required to minimize fetal injury, misuse of forceps or vacuum extractors, inability to recognize other emergencies, such as uterine rupture or placental abruption.
Things to look for during childbirth:
1) Medical personnel point out signs of concern for traces of FHM
2) The doctor does not respond or does not respond to advice on caring for the consultation
3) Emergency caesarean section is ordered, then delayed
4) Hospital staff do not expect or shy away from information during the difficult labor process
Preventable or not, many of the effects of childhood traumatic brain injury are unlikely to occur in a few months or even years. Just because the child does not need to be fed to the seals or is not in the intensive care unit, because they cannot breathe without interfering with life support, this does not mean that they are in a clear form. If there is even the slightest potential for traumatic brain injury during the labor process, regardless of the lack of evidence regarding the cause and severity, several things need to be done to protect yourself and your baby.
1) Consult a legal representative for guidance. This does not mean that you are going to initiate a lawsuit, but they will know what to look for, ask and control regarding your newborn.
2) Collect copies of all documents related to your medical history and birth
3) Get your child's Apgar score, which evaluates newborns by five criteria (appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, breathing). A low Apgar score may indicate birth injury.
Birth injuries as a result of preventable medical errors are rare, but occur. Knowledge is power. Take all you can to prevent birth injuries and miscarriages, such as cerebral palsy.
