Every year, more than 60,000 infants are born underdeveloped. Of these, a large percent develop neurodevelopmental problems like ADHD and epilepsy. Our medical malpractice lawyers at Snyder & Snyder know how you as a parent can help prevent these problems and what your recourses are should they happen.
Advances in Science Identify Causes of Brain Damage
Neurodevelopmental issues such as ADHD, cerebral palsy and epilepsy are on the rise, especially among children and adults who were born prematurely. Advances in medical science are revealing more of the causes of these problems, and strategies are being developed to cut these problems off at the source.
Brain injury among preemies is most often caused by a lack of oxygen being supplied to the brain. This damages the myelin, or white matter, of the brain, which insulates the neural pathways. The result can be similar to an electrical short in an electrical circuit. The previously mentioned neurodevelopmental diseases are some of the most well-known results.
Chances are, if your child is born prematurely, they will be connected to mechanical respirators and other machines to support and monitor them through this hazardous period. Sometimes, this just is not enough to keep your child going. Their lungs simply may not be effective enough, even with this kind of assistance.
So, what can you as a parent do? Keep an eye on your child’s oxygen saturation-most people only pay attention to the pulse. If it falls below the safety level (an alarm will typically sound), watch the response time of the staff. Time is of the essence in preventing brain injury, and a slow response could mean that the staff did not do everything they possibly could to prevent brain injury.
If you believe that your child has suffered in this way, contact your medical malpractice lawyers in Baltimore at Snyder & Snyder for a consultation.
For more information on why brain injuries are more common in preemies, please visit https://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/11/17/142421335/why-brain-injuries-are-more-common-in-preemies